Give me a Chance
by Hatter-Break
Summary: When shown kindness by an unlikely girl, Souji takes an interest that he himself can't explain. In meeting him, she is given a chance to change. Bonds are formed, secrets are kept, and risks are taken. *ON HIATUS*
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Hello everyone! This story isn't one that I'll be focusing too much on as far as quality goes. It's more of a way for me to kill sometime, and keep writing while I'm working on my bigger stories. Please feel free to leave any feedback or suggestions though! Thanks for reading ^^**

* * *

Screams echoed through the tea house as the sound of metal on metal rang through the night.

"Don't let any of them escape!" ordered a man wearing the recognizable blue coat of the feared Shinsengumi. "Hold them off until backup arrives!" He had shoulder length brown hair that he kept in a topknot, letting his bangs hang free. His emerald eyes blazed as he cut down man after man. His sword clashed with the sword of an enemy for only a moment before he gained the upper hand, felling him with a quick swipe. In that moment he failed to notice the man charging at him from behind. By the time he realized his error, and whipped around to face his attacker, it was too late. He took a step back to avoid the first swing, but was unable to rebalance himself as the man's second swing sliced his arm. He let out a hiss, but ignored the pain. He readied himself as the man prepared to bring his sword down, but the attack never came. His eyes rolled back in his head as he fell forward with a thud. Behind where the man had been stood a girl holding up a damaged serving tray. Her wide golden eyes locked with his for a moment, then he finally relaxed. Seeing him lower his blade, the girl also relaxed, letting the serving tray fall to the floor. He turned ready to return to the fight.

"You're hurt," she spoke up, stopping him in his tracks. "Please, let me bandage it at least." He turned back to face her, skeptical. Letting his guard down could be fatal. Examining her features, she showed nothing but the utmost sincerity. Finally he nodded. She gave a small smile. "Follow me, we can stay hidden for a moment while I tend to your wound."

"I won't hesitate to kill you should I sense something is off," he warned.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from a wolf of Mibu," she stated simply, turning and walking quickly down the hallway. The man followed, not once releasing his grip on the his sword's hilt. She turned into a more narrow hallway, then ducked into a room. In there she lit a small lantern, then sat. She motioned to the man to sit beside her. "Take a seat." He did as he was told, sitting cross legged. She began pushing his sleeve up. In the soft light, he could clearly see that the girl was a prostitute, based on her clothing and the style of her black hair. She tore part of her sleeve and began to gently wrap his arm.

"Why help me?" She ignored him and continued working. He just watched her, eyebrow raised. She tied it off tightly to cut off the bleeding.

"This should hold you for the rest of the fight, but be sure to dress it properly when you return to your headquarters," she instructed. He nodded.

"May I ask your name?" She smiled.

"Hasegawa Mikoto."

"Okita Souji," he returned. "Thank you for your help." He stood, letting his sleeve fall back down. "I advise you to stay hidden in here. Our enemies, or even other members of the Shinsengumi, may not be so kind if they were to find you." She nodded in understanding.

"Be careful." After taking one more moment to look her over, Souji turned, running back into the fray.


	2. Chapter 2

Souji sat outside of his room, one arm resting on his knee, holding his head. In his free hand, a blood stained, ornate red piece of cloth was draped over his fingers. He examined it with a sigh. He was never one to give much care for others, though the girl that had helped him the night before, during the raid, had stayed in his mind. He couldn't help but wonder if she had made it through the night. He had gone back to check on her when it was all over, but she was nowhere to be seen. He didn't want to think that she had been caught, but he couldn't think of any way she could have escaped either.

"Hasegawa...Mikoto…" he murmured to himself. Lost in his thoughts, he was taken by surprise when somebody suddenly threw an arm over his shoulder. He looked over at the grinning culprit, a blue eyed man with short auburn hair.

"What's got you in such a daze Souji?" he questioned.

"I'm not in a daze Shinpachi," he stated, defending himself. Shinpachi Nagakura let out a hearty laugh.

"Sure looked like it." Souji scowled. Shinpachi's laughter stopped abruptly as he noticed the cloth in Souji's hand. "What's that?" Alarmed, Souji shoved the torn fabric into the folds of his kimono.

"It's nothing you need to worry about." Shinpachi raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"How exactly did you manage to get your wound wrapped in the middle of battle last night?" Souji's green eyes narrowed threateningly, and Shinpachi raised his hands.

"Fine, fine, your secret. Got it. How about you come and grab a celebratory drink with us?" he offered, motioning over at the redhead that was standing nearby. "Sano's buying." Souji shrugged, figuring it would be a good way to get his mind off of Mikoto.

* * *

Three men wandered the streets of Kyoto, one of them going on loudly about his feats in battle. Souji looked at Shinpachi, somewhat amused by his drunken friend. Sanosuke Harada was also slightly inebriated, but not like Shinpachi. He began to tune out his friend's noise as he caught sight of a familiar road. He knew that turning down that road would lead into the red light district. More importantly, the tea house they had raided was located on that road. Overcome by instinct, Souji broke into a run. Shinpachi's shouting ceased immediately.

"Huh?"

"Hey Souji, where the hell are you going?" Sanosuke demanded.

"Souji, come back!" Shinpachi chimed in. He ignored them, leaving the two men baffled. He quickly turned the corner, making his way straight towards the tea house. He came to a stop in front of the doorway. Tentatively, he entered. Unsurprisingly, the place was empty. Of course no one would dare to return after it had been hit by the Shinsengumi. He sighed, not sure what he was expecting. He wasn't even entirely sure why he cared. He left, feeling inexplicably disheartened. As he exited, he was met by a small, black haired girl with dark eyes who looked rather unwell.

"Were you looking for some company sir?" She asked, moving closer to him.

"No," he stated bitterly, stepping around the girl. "I'm just looking for someone," he muttered, walking away.

"A girl?" she persisted, following him.

"It doesn't matter."

"A lot of the girls that worked there were killed last night," she stated. Souji turned to face the girl.

"Just shut up and leave me the hell alone!" he snapped. He then shook his head, confused by his his own outburst. The girl seemed a little frightened, but didn't back down.

"Some of the girls did get out though. They've found positions at an inn on the next block over," she explained. "I could take you there." He nodded, his hope sparking once again.

She led him a short way to a shabby looking inn. He tipped her for her information, and she left him. Getting an uneasy feeling from the inn, he rested his hand on the hilt of his sword as he entered. An unsavory looking man stood behind the counter. He seemed to perk up as Souji entered. He opened his mouth to greet him, but Souji spoke first.

"I'm looking for a Hasegawa Mikoto. Did she come here?" The man looked taken aback.

"Surely you'd like one of our...more trained girls?" Souji's lip curled in disgust at the man's use of the word 'trained'.

"I'm looking for Hasegawa," he repeated, his tone menacing. The man shrugged.

"Suit yourself. Second room on the right is hers." Souji started in the direction the man had pointed, but was stopped. "This is a business," the man stated. Souji slammed his payment on to the counter, casting the man a loathing glance before continuing on. He stopped outside of what the man said was her room. Taking a breath, he slid open the door. He was met by golden eyes and an enlivened smile.


	3. Chapter 3

Souji lost himself in the two golden pools. He'd found her, but what was to happen next, he wasn't sure. He couldn't even explain why he'd wanted to find her. The only thing he knew is that seeing her safe brought a wave of relief crashing over him.

"Okita sama?" He was pulled from his thoughts by her concern. "Is everything alright?" He nodded. A smile came to her red painted lips. "Well then have a seat." He did as she asked while she poured some sake into the cup that sat in front of him. He watched her carefully. He noticed that she seemed much more graceful and beautiful than any prostitutes that frequented the streets of Kyoto, even behind the mask of make up.

"I just came to see that you made it out," he started, not sure what else to say. "I'm glad to see that you did." She nodded.

"I trust someone tended to you're wound properly?" He nodded, then crossed his arms.

"Though it wasn't much of an injury, just a scratch really." She let out a laugh.

"Just as prideful as any other man I see." He scowled.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She let out another small giggle, this time hiding her mouth behind her sleeve. Souji huffed. Then he noticed the jagged tear in the sleeve that covered her mouth. "You're wearing tattered clothing?" She looked at her sleeve, then shrugged.

"Not like I can afford anything new." He nodded in understanding, now at a loss for words. They sat in an awkward silence for a moment, Souji mentally kicking himself for going there. "So, Okita sama, I presume you aren't here for my services. Why did you come here?" she inquired, quirking a brow. Her question took him by surprise.

"I told you why, don't ask stupid questions," he scolded, though it came off somewhat defensive. Her expression became confused.

"The Shinsengumi aren't the type to care about the likes of someone like me," she pointed out. "So why would you?"

"Is it wrong of me to want to thank the beautiful woman that helped me?" he asked, giving a small smile. She looked a little surprised by his answer, but then returned his smile.

"You're too kind."

"Hasegawa san, how did a girl like you come to work in this business?" he asked, genuinely curious. Instantly, her smile fell and her expression became dark. She suddenly seemed like a completely different person. The unexpected change made Souji feel uneasy, and he instinctively reached for his sword. As quickly as the menacing atmosphere around her appeared, it faded. Her eyes became pained and sorrowful.

"It's something I'd rather not speak about," she finally said, her eyes avoiding Souji. "We all have our secrets, do we not?" He moved his hand away from his weapon.

"I suppose you have a point," he admitted. Souji got to his feet. "I should be leaving now." Mikoto looked up at him, looking somewhat disappointed. He smiled. "I'll return tomorrow," he assured. "I'd like to make sure my debt is repaid before I leave you on your own." She nodded, her features lighting up as they had when he first entered the room.

"I look forward to it."

* * *

"What's wrong Heisuke, you look down!" Shinpachi questioned, slapping a slight man on the back. He had long brown hair tied in a ponytail, and turquoise eyes. Heisuke Toudou sighed as he sat down with the group of four other men. "Something happen on your patrol last night?" Heisuke scowled.

"There was a thief last night. He should have been easy enough to catch, but the bastard was quick on his feet," he explained over their rice breakfast.

"I'll be sure to keep alert on my patrol this afternoon," a navy eyed man with indigo locks stated.

"Thanks Saito…" Heisuke muttered.

"Well I have some information that might bring your spirits up," Sanosuke started, sharing a look with Shinpachi. The two of them then grinned at Souji. He looked up from his food, confused for a moment.

"So, where did you run off to in such a hurry yesterday Souji?" Shinpachi asked, biting back laughter. Souji scowled, now realizing what the two men were talking about.

"It looked like the red light district to me, Shinpachi," Sanosuke chimed in. Then both men broke into laughter. Heisuke and Saito both looked at Souji, surprise written across their faces. Souji wasn't one to care much for women, so hearing that he'd made a dash for the red light district was a bit of a shock.

"As if Shinpachi is one to talk," Souji said with a huff. "If you aren't drinking, you can be found at Shimabara." He finished his breakfast smugly, as Shinpachi was silenced by his retort. When he was finished, he dismissed himself. He would wait until everybody was busy with daily duties to leave on his own business.


	4. Chapter 4

"Let go of me!" Mikoto demanded, trying in vain to pull away from the inn's owner, who had tight grip on her wrist. "Let go you bastard!" she snapped. He brought his face inches from her own.

"I can throw you back out on the streets just as easily as I took you in, you little bitch!" he growled. "I don't need the Shinsengumi poking around here." She glared daggers at the man.

"I told you, he's not coming here on behalf of the Shinsengumi," she hissed.

"What the hell does that matter? A wolf is a wolf! I'll be sending him away when he arrives." A malicious sneer appeared on his features. "And if you're so desperate for a customer, that's something I can easily take care of for you." His grip moved from his wrist to her shoulder while his free hand moved to pull at the top of her kimono.

"No!" She again tried to pull away from him, this time trying to reach for the sword that she kept resting in the corner. As the tips of her fingers brushed the hilt, she heard the door slide open. Someone let out an exasperated sigh, and the inn's owner froze.

"Damn, and here I thought I wouldn't have to deal with you today. Not seeing you at the front got my hopes up." The inn keeper turned to face the door, while Mikoto ceased to struggle, also turning her attention to the speaker. She was met by an emerald eyed brunette. "Oh well…" he said with another sigh.

"Okita sama…" A small smile graced Mikoto's lips. He caught her eyes, and a wry smirk appeared on his features. He began to drum his fingers on the hilt of his sword.

"Hey Hasegawa san, what's going on here? Not giving someone else my time, are you?" he questioned. As he spoke, the man seemed to gather up some courage.

"Get out of here!" he snapped. Souji's attention was pulled from Mikoto to the man. His green eyes darkened with menace.

"I don't need scum like you ordering me around. If you're smart, you'll let the girl go and collect the payment I've left on the counter." After a moment of tense silence, the man lost his nerve, and, after throwing Mikoto to the ground, scrambled past Souji and out of the room. Souji let out a joyful laugh, as if everything had just been a joke. "Well that was fun, huh Hasegawa san?" He looked down at her, and she scowled up at him.

"Fun for you maybe." He let out another laugh, then held out a hand to help her up.

"You're quite the clumsy girl, ending up on the floor like that," he teased. "And if I were you, I'd keep that sword of yours closer." She sighed.

"Thank you Okita sama." He waved his hand dismissively.

"No need for that. Are you ready to go?" She cocked her head, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

"Go where?" Without an answer, he began walking out, leaving a confused Mikoto to catch up.

* * *

Souji and Mikoto sat at a table outside of one of the market's food vendors, a sizable pile of dango sitting between the two of them. Mikoto was the only one eating, while Souji simply sat, resting his head in his hand. He watch, amused, as Mikoto scarfed down order after order of dango.

"That grace and girlish charm of yours seems to disappear when there's food," he finally stated in a joking tone. She stopped, mid bite, her cheeks flushing. She set down the stick of dango slowly, then finished her bite.

"Sorry. I've been saving my earnings lately, so I haven't had much to eat," she explained. Souji chuckled.

"Just slow down a little, I'm not made of money myself." She nodded

"Why don't you eat a little? I'd feel like less of a glutton if you did." At her suggestion, he picked up a stick, and shoved it in his mouth.

"'aappy?" he mumbled around the food in his mouth. She laughed, nodding, then continued eating as well. Once all of the dango was gone, they continued their way through the market. "Now it's time that I actually repay my debt." As he said this, he stopped in front of a clothing shop. Mikoto just stared at the shop for a moment, causing Souji to frown. "Don't get so excited…" he muttered sarcastically. Her face suddenly split in a grin. "Well, go ahead and pick something out."

"It really was just a small tear though, I couldn't…"

"It's a small tear that wouldn't be there if not for me," he pointed out. "Now go on, before I change my mind." With an eager nod, she disappeared into the shop. She tried on kimono after kimono, all the while, lost in her own thoughts. She wondered if, after showing her such kindness, Souji would actually just leave, never to be seen again. She wasn't sure she wanted that. He was the first person she'd known to ever give her any thought. Though, she also realized that becoming close to him could also be quite dangerous for her. She sighed as she looked at herself in a small hand mirror.

"It's for the best…" she murmured. After a while, she settled on a deep purple kimono with golden accents that brought out her golden eyes. She brought her selection to Souji, who had been waiting patiently. After paying for it, the two made their way back to the inn in a comfortable silence. They stopped outside the entrance, looking at one another for a moment. Mikoto gave a quick bow of thanks. "Thank you Okita sama. You've shown me more kindness today than I've seen in my whole life." He smiled.

"I'm glad I could do so. Good luck dealing with this place, try to to get yourself out." She nodded, and he turned to walk away. "Farewell, Mikoto chan." Her eyes widened slightly as he said her name in such an endearing manner. With that, she knew she couldn't let him walk away. She took a couple steps, grabbing his sleeve.

"Wait!" He turned, surprised. Their eyes locked. "Come back again, please Okita sama," she pleaded. He seemed somewhat taken aback. She let go of his sleeve, then bowed. "I'm sorry, someone like you wouldn't want to associate with someone like me. I'm a fool to ask." He sighed, scratching the back of his head.

"Women really are a pain, aren't they? They can never make up their minds." A playful smile appeared on his lips. "Very well. I'll come back when it suits me." She straightened up and smiled.

"Thank you Okita sama!" He nodded, and turned again to walk away.

"And no more of that formal crap! You make me sound like an old man!" he yelled over his shoulder, then gave a wave. He gave a contented sigh as he turned the corner. He had finally figured out what had drawn him to her. When she had looked at him so earnestly, he recognized the fear that swam through her golden eyes. The fear of being abandoned.


	5. Chapter 5

Souji sighed, stretching. His shift at the checkpoint had been fairly slow, so to spare himself from complete boredom he'd allowed his mind to wander. His thoughts became focused around Mikoto. Things hadn't gone quite the way he had planned. He hadn't expected to be returning, but the way she had looked at him, he just couldn't refuse. That didn't mean he fully trusted her yet either. Her reaction to his questioning her past had kept him on guard. Though, that wasn't a simple feat after spending more time with her.

"Oi, Souji!" Without warning, he received a sharp whack to the back of his head. He whipped around to see Sanosuke standing there, his spear resting on his shoulder and his brow furrowed.

"You don't have to be so rough Sanosuke," he complained, rubbing the now sore spot on the back of his head.

"Where the hell is your mind today Souji? I called your name several times." Souji blinked.

"Did you?" His expression became playful. "I suppose my thoughts are more appealing than that noise you call a voice," he teased. He dodged, laughing, as Sanosuke aimed another blow at his head.

"Go get some rest. You've clearly lost it after standing out here all day," Sanosuke retorted. With a smile and a wave, Souji left, happy to be switching out. He walked, hands behind his head. He would drop his blue coat off at headquarters, then sneak away.

* * *

It was sunset by the time Souji reached the inn. He wasn't one to flaunt his power to take advantage of others, but he had no desire to line the pockets of scum like the man that ran the inn. He drew his katana, and casually rested it on his shoulder before entering the inn. The man flinched a little at the sight of him, amusing Souji.

"She's not available tonight," the man said shakily. Souji raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? I'll just have to make her available." He strode past the inn keeper, who made no move to stop him, then sheathed his sword. "Hey Mikoto chan, stop wasting my time with other-" As he slid her door open, his brow furrowed. She was the only one there, standing by her open window. She appeared to be readying her sword for something. Her face was clean of makeup, and her long, black hair was down in soft curls. She looked over at Souji, her eyes widened with surprise.

"Okita sama!" She quickly put her sword down. "I didn't know you'd be coming by tonight, it had already gotten so late, so I figured…"

"What are you doing? I was told you weren't available, so I assumed you'd be with another man." Her eyes wandered the room, looking everywhere but at Souji.

"Well, I...I need time off, you know? The later it is, the less desirable the customers. I told him I'd be busy every evening after sundown, just so I can relax." Souji crossed his arms.

"What are you doing with that sword?"

"You told me yourself to keep it closer," she pointed out.

"And the window is open."

"It gets stuffy in here, don't you think?" He began to walk towards her, his eyes narrowing.

"Mikoto chan," he started, his voice low and menacing. He stopped, directly in front of her, bending over so he was eye level with her. She bit her lip nervously. "That threat I made the night we met still stands. Woman or not, I will not hesitate to kill you. Do you understand?" She nodded. Souji eyed her a little longer. Finally he straightened up, giving her a grin. "Now that that's settled, you look quite nice even without your getup."

"Th-thank you," she said, flustered. She couldn't understand how he could change in the blink of an eye. "I'm glad you came back, take a seat." He did so, and she followed suit. "Why exactly were you so late Okita sama?" she asked, pouring him some sake. He took a sip of the drink.

"I told you, none of that. Souji will do."

"Sorry, Souji sama," she said, bowing her head. He laughed.

"Wrong again you silly girl."

"Souji san?"

"That's better. Now, I was late because I had duties to attend to, obviously." She perked up with interest.

"Duties? What do you do?"

"Well, as the 1st division captain, I…" He lost his track of thought as his eyes caught something that he had failed to notice earlier. He had been too focused on her mesmerizing eyes. Along the top of her cheek, Mikoto had a thin scar that was barely noticeable. "What is that?" He reached out to brush the scar, and she quickly pulled away, covering it up.

"Oh no...this unsightly thing is usually covered by my make up."

"It's not common to see women with scars. How did you get it?" he asked, concerned.

"I've told you Oki- Souji san, that my past isn't something I wish to discuss." Her tone became serious, much as it had before. Souji wanted to trust her, yet he couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. He finally nodded.

"Fine, fine." He said, putting his hands up. The two of them spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing. Souji told stories about his times in the Shinsengumi, while Mikoto spoke of the times she'd had with other girls in the area. At long last, Souji got to his feet and stretched. "It's about time I get going Mikoto chan, I don't need Hijikata getting upset with me for missing curfew," he said with a small laugh. Mikoto stood as well.

"I understand. Then I suppose I'll see you again next time, Souji san." She smiled warmly.

"Don't cause any trouble," he said. Though he was teasing, his words came off as a warning. She nodded, and Souji scanned the room one last time before departing.


	6. Chapter 6

"I'll see you tomorrow Mikoto chan!" Mikoto gave Souji a small bow.

"Be careful on your patrol Souji." With a smile and a small wave, Souji left. Mikoto sat, a small smile gracing her features. It had been a little more than two months since she had met Souji, and he had visited with her every day since. She had grown to care a great deal for him. Time that wasn't spent with him was spent eagerly waiting for him to return. He had left early that evening for a night patrol of Kyoto. She let out a soft sigh, and got to her feet. She opened her door slightly, and looked around to make sure no one was coming her way. She then kneeled back down and lifted one of the floor boards. Beneath it was a neatly folded bundle of clothes, on top of which sat a note that she had just received earlier that morning. She picked up the note, quickly skimming it. "I suppose this will just have to wait until tomorrow night...I can't interrupt Souji's patrol…"

* * *

Souji walked the streets of Kyoto beside Saito, followed by a handful of men from each of their units. He walked with a contented smile on his lips. He had long lost the need to keep his guard up around Mikoto. After finding no reason to be suspicious, he became comfortable around her. Each day his responsibilities couldn't be taken care of fast enough so he could sneak away.

"Souji," Saito started, pulling him from his thoughts. Souji looked over at his fellow captain. "Though it's not any business of mine, the other men are starting to wonder about you." Souji smirked.

"Oh?"

"I have to agree with them. You've been behaving strangely for a while now. You can only be found when you're performing your assigned tasks. When you're questioned, you dodge and skirt to avoid the answer." Saito's intense gaze met Souji's own mischievous eyes. "It's unsettling behavior for the captain of the 1st squad." Souji let out a bark of laughter.

"You're too serious sometimes Saito. My behavior is no different than Shinpachi's. You know very well that I'd never do anything to betray Kondou's trust in me." Saito eyed Souji for a moment, then nodded.

"I suppose I can't doubt that," he finally conceded. Souji returned his attention back to the road ahead of them, letting out a small sigh, and allowing his mind to wander back to Mikoto.

* * *

Souji and Mikoto sat beneath a sakura tree on the edge of the small river that ran through town. Souji had fallen asleep, his head on her lap. After having been out late on patrol he had easily been lulled into relaxation by the warmth of the sun. Mikoto sat, smiling down at the man she'd become so fond of. She moved strands of his hair from his forehead, and he began to stir. His emerald eyes blinked open, and he smiled up at Mikoto. Her warm eyes were a welcome sight to wake up to.

"You're quite comfortable Mikoto chan," he stated. He sat up and stretched. "That did me some good. We've had to extend our patrols lately." Mikoto cocked her head.

"Why is that?" He let out a bitter chuckle.

"Some petty thief is giving us the run around." Her golden eyes widened, startled. Souji rested a hand on the top of her head, ruffling her hair a little, in an attempt to put her at ease. "It's not someone particularly dangerous. A skilled nuisance would be a little more accurate." She smiled.

"Sounds like the Shinsengumi's had its hands full then." Souji shrugged. "Could I be of any use?" His brow furrowed.

"I wouldn't allow you to go into combat, if that's what you mean." She shook her head with a small laugh.

"Of course not. I just mean by keeping my ear to the ground. In my line of business, all sorts of information comes through and nobody gives a second thought to who it is that hears it," she explained. "If news of your thief comes through, I'm sure to hear it." Souji smiled.

"You can be clever after all."

"What is that supposed to mean?" He laughed, ruffling her hair once more. She crossed her arms and glowered at him. After his laughter settled, he removed his hand from her head, and became serious.

"There's really only one problem with your suggestion," he started. She looked at him, puzzled. "I want you to run away from this place, leave all of this behind you." She looked shocked. "You need to find a safer existence."

"What do you-"

"It's bad enough that you do what you do, now you've decided to associate yourself with me. I can't say you're one that knows how to make good choices." He sighed. Mikoto wasn't sure what to say. His sudden change in tone threw her for a loop. His eyes flashed with many different emotions, all too brief for her to pin. Souji kept his gaze locked with hers. She opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, he began to laugh, baffling her even further. "I'm just kidding of course." He shielded himself with his hands as she tried to give him a smack to the head.

"Souji!" she snapped. "You scared me…" His laughter stopped abruptly. For a moment, he looked at her as if he was going to apologize. Instead, he broke into further laughter. "It's not funny!" He calmed himself down, then nodded.

"Alright, alright. Even though I was just kidding, I would like to help change your situation." She blinked.

"My situation? You mean-" Suddenly, shouts erupted from the street. It seemed that rogue samurai was rampaging, terrorizing shop owners and civilians. Souji's lips drew back in an eager, almost sadistic grin. "Souji?" Mikoto questioned, somewhat concerned. He got to his feet, drawing his sword.

"Mikoto, I'd advise that you leave. We'll continue our discussion later." With those words, he took off towards the ruckus.

"Wait, Souji!" Mikoto sighed as he disappeared. She figured it was best to listen to him and leave. She didn't have her sword on her after all. Unarmed, she'd do nothing but get in the way. Getting to her feet, she made her way back to the inn. As she neared her destination, her heart dropped. A young woman was waiting outside for her. She had auburn hair and large brown eyes.

"Mikoto!" she called, approaching her.

"Ayumi, I-" The girl grabbed Mikoto's hands.

"Were you able to go through the list?" Mikoto sighed, and Ayumi's eyes got wide. "Mikoto, we need your help!"

"I couldn't look at it last night, something came up, but... listen, Ayumi I-"

"What's going on Mikoto? You always used to be so diligent, but these past couple of months-

"Ayumi, I can't do this anymore!" Mikoto blurted. The girl looked like she had been slapped. Her doe eyes became large and pleading.

"We can't do without you Mikoto."

"You can Ayumi, all of you can, you just don't want to," she tried to reason. "I'm not doing it again. I'm done."

"Please…" Ayumi asked once more, looking defeated. Mikoto let out a sigh.

"Once more, that's it. This is the last time, after this, never again. A chance for me to change has presented itself, and hell if I'm going to let it go." Ayumi nodded.

"Very well. Thank you Mikoto." Mikoto nodded.

"I'll take care of it tomorrow night."


	7. Chapter 7

Souji kneeled in front of a wooden basin of water, trying to wash the blood from the clothes he had stained the day before. He wore a grim expression, which faded into a melancholic smile as he sighed.

"Perhaps things can change," he muttered, holding up his kimono to examine his handiwork.

"What can change?" Surprised, Souji turned to see the warm brown eyes of Isami Kondou.

"Oh, Kondou san." Souji couldn't help but smile in the presence of the man he regarded so highly. "I'm talking about the Shinsengumi's luck," he said with a laugh. He cringed inwardly. Yet another lie he's told to Kondou. "Nothing going on except the occasional rowdy samurai. We can't even stop a petty thief." Kondou let out a hearty laugh. He rested a hand on Souji's head endearingly, as he had when Souji was a child.

"Don't let it get you down Souji, the quiet is a good thing," he explained. "It means we might finally be bringing some peace to this city." Kondou's grin was radiant and mildly contagious.

"Not to everyone," Souji mumbled quietly, thinking about Mikoto's situation. Kondou let out another genuine laugh.

"Then we'll just have to keep working harder, won't we." Souji nodded and smiled.

"Right." Kondou gave him a light pat on the shoulder and walked away with a wave. Souji sighed, relieved, his resolve strengthening thanks to Kondou's words. "Things can change," he reassured himself. "Just as they did once before."

* * *

Mikoto walked along beside Souji, her head down. After having scolded him for walking around in damp clothing, she had quieted down, hardly speaking at all. Her decision to help Ayumi once more weighed heavily on her. Though she had already helped her twice after meeting Souji, the closer she became to him, the more it bothered her.

"Mikoto." Startled, she looked up just in time to walk smack into Souji. She had been so lost in thought that she had failed to notice him stepping in front of her. He laughed, but it faded quickly when her gaze returned to the ground. "Mikoto?"

"I'm sorry, I should have been paying more attention," she mumbled. He leaned over so he was eye level with her, then grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed a pale pink under her make up.

"What's wrong? Are you still upset about that joke yesterday?" He questioned. She shook her head. He thought for a moment, then a smirk appeared on his face. "You're blushing. Could my good looks have won you over? Or…" His eyes darkened. "Are you hiding something perhaps?" Mikoto shook her head vigorously, tearing her chin from his gentle grasp.

"No, of course not!" He straightened up with a slight pout and crossed his arms.

"You don't have to be so adamantly against the idea, you've hurt my feelings Mikoto chan."

"What? No, I-" Souji quickly returned to her side, throwing his arm over her shoulders. He chuckled.

"Relax, no need to be so serious." After a moment, she looked up at him with a smile.

"You're right." She then looked away again. "I do think you're quite handsome, Souji." He snickered, and they continued walking. As they went forward, Souji cast a glance down at her. She was looking at the ground again. Souji suppressed a sigh. As he had thought, the smile was fake. He wondered if something hadn't happened with the inn's owner again. Souji decided he would pay the man a visit later that night.

"Are you hungry?" She shook her head. Souji frowned. That was the first time she had turned down food since they'd met. "How about we find somewhere quiet to talk," he suggested. She silently agreed, and Souji began to lead her out of the busy market. They found themselves on the bridge that looked over the river, and Souji leaned against the railing. "I think it would be best for you to leave the red light district," he started. "People are cruel to those that are unfortunate. I can't be worrying about you all the time, it's distracting."

"Souji…"

"If you were to distract me and cause me to let Kondou san down, I would have to kill you Mikoto chan." Though his expression was teasing, his tone was less so. She tried to force a smile."I don't really know what's wrong with you today, and I won't pry any further, but I'm sure that place is to blame."

"This life is the only life I know. Even if I were to leave, I would just be lost," she pointed out sadly.

"I wouldn't let that happen. I'll help you get away," he pushed. Her eyes met his. He was deadly serious. This wasn't one of his jokes. Her heart seemed to flutter slightly.

"I-"

"Just think about it."

* * *

After being sure that his sword was securely on his hip, Souji strode towards the gates of the Shinsengumi. Before he could make it out, he was stopped by a voice behind him.

"Good, you're already up." He turned to met with the stern violet eyes of a raven haired man.

"Oh, Toshi, you're up late." Toshizo Hijikata's scowl deepened. "Were you looking for me?"

"Yes, actually. Shinpachi is out on patrol. He sent one of his men back to get help scouring the streets. They spotted our thief leaving a shop on the main street, and found the shop owner's corpse. I'm willing to overlook that fact that you were about to break curfew if you go out and find this man," he explained. A savage grin tugged at the corners of his mouth, and Hijikata threw him the telltale blue coat of the Shinsengumi.

"Happily." After throwing the coat on, Souji took off into the streets of Kyoto. He started on the side streets that branched out directly from the main market, and worked from there. He was already becoming frustrated after a couple minutes of searching. He knew time was of the essence. If he wasn't quick enough, his target would be lost. Finally, as he neared the red light district, he caught sight of someone, garbed in dark clothing with a long ponytail down their back, running. He seemed to be carrying a sack. "Gotcha," he muttered with a quick chuckle, before charging towards him, drawing his sword. The man heard Souji, and, after throwing a quick glance behind him, made a sharp turn to throw him off. He underestimated Souji's speed, however, as Souji caught right up with him. Rather than running, the man finally turned, drawing a sword, and dropping the bag that was over his shoulder. His whole face was masked by a dark mesh, but Souji could still tell he was frightened by the way his arms trembled. He was small, smaller than Heisuke even, explaining why he was so quick on his feet. Without any hesitation, Souji swung his blade, aiming to kill. The man blocked his blow, but was pushed back slightly. Souji struck again, but again was blocked. He smirked. "Not bad, are you?" The man stayed silent. Souji attacked with a flurry of blows, all of which the man was able to either block or dodge. His enemy was solely defending, not sending any attacks Souji's way, putting him on high alert. At last, after clashing blades countless times, Souji broke his defense. He caught the side of his enemy's mask, tearing it. A soft gasp escaped from the man, who quickly turned and began to run yet again. "Damnit…" Souji hissed, giving chase. The thief made another sharp turn, and Souji followed. To his delight, it was a dead end. The man slid to a stop and looked around, frantically, for a way out. Souji walked towards him slowly, like a predator stalking his prey. When Souji was right on top of him, his enemy finally turned to face him, his head down. Souji was stopped in his tracks as the man did something unexpected. He dropped his sword. As it clattered to the ground, the thief lifted his head, and Souji's eyes widened in surprise as he was met with a golden eye that he recognized very well. Though only part of her face was revealed by the tear in her mask, he had no doubts about who it was. "Mikoto…" She slowly reached up and removed her mask. Her sorrowful golden pools locked with his own green eyes.

"Souji...please, I can-"

"Shut up!" he growled. Shaking off the initial shock, he raised his sword, pointing it directly at her. His lips curled in a snarl as he glared at her, his eyes ablaze. Her eyes began to water.

"Souji, please!" she begged.

"I said shut up!" he repeated, louder this time. "I warned you Mikoto," he said, his voice now dangerously low. His fierce glare was steady.

"Souji…" Large tears were now streaming down her cheeks. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a breath. Suddenly, his eyes snapped back open and he lunged.


	8. Chapter 8

Mikoto kept her eyes tightly shut, waiting for the cold blade to pierce her, but it never did. She opened her eyes tentatively. The tip of Souji's blade was a hair's breadth away from running through her heart. Souji's head was down, and his grip on the hilt was so tight his knuckles were white. His hand began to tremble, and after a moment, his arm fell. The air was filled with a silence so tense, it was palpable. Mikoto could do nothing, she was frozen. Souji's shoulders began to shake with bitter laughter. He finally looked up at her, his eyes glinting dangerously, but lacking the motivation they had held.

"I'm pathetic, aren't I Mikoto chan?" He spat her name out like it was poison, sending a twinge of pain to her heart. He slammed his sword back into its sheath. She shook her head, but couldn't force any words out. "I should have known, I guess it's my own damn fault." Suddenly, he grabbed her face roughly with one hand, bringing his own face close. "Why can't I do it? What is it about you?" He asked softly. He was no longer furious, instead he looked defeated. His green eyes scanned her face before returning to her eyes. He backed away and let go of her. "Well, you wanted to explain yourself. Do it," he demanded, crossing his arms. Mikoto took a few shaky breaths. "Well?"

"I...I don't steal for myself, I…" She sighed. "For a few years now, I've done runs once or twice a month for the women that took care of me at Shimabara. They would give me a list, and I...I'd get whatever they put on it," she explained. Souji cocked an eyebrow.

"Shimabara?" Mikoto nodded. "You realize of course, that this means I'll no longer allow you to keep your past a secret. You'll explain everything to me at the Shinsengumi headquarters." Her eyes widened.

"What?"

"I can't allow a criminal to remain on the streets now, can I?" Mikoto looked at the ground. "Besides, you seem to have skill with a sword. You might be useful." He grabbed her wrist tightly and began to pull her in the direction from which they had come. They stopped to grab the bag of stolen items that she had dropped. "You killed that shopkeeper," he stated as he handed her the bag.

"I...I had to...he would have killed me," she explained quietly.

"How many have you killed?"

"He was my second…"

"What about the first? Did you rob him as well?" Mikoto shook her head. The rest of the walk was made in silence. When they arrived outside the gates, Souji stopped. "You need to be quiet when we get in here, I don't want anyone here seeing you before the commander." She nodded in compliance. They snuck their way through the Shinsengumi compound until they reached one room in particular. A soft glow emanated through the paper walls. Souji kneeled, and Mikoto followed suit. "Kondou san, I need to speak with you, it's urgent."

"Ah, Souji, come on in!" a welcoming voice replied. Souji slid the door open and motioned for Mikoto to follow him. He kneeled in front of Kondou, and, after closing the door behind her, Mikoto did the same. She could tell by the way he sat and looked at the man, that Souji had a great deal of respect for him. "Who might this be?" He asked, turning his attention to Mikoto. She looked at Souji, and he nodded.

"Hasegawa Mikoto, sir," she stated. He gave her a warm smile.

"Kondou Isami. Now, what's the matter Souji?"

"Hasegawa here is our thief," Souji started bluntly. Kondou looked stunned. His expression then became serious, but not unkind.

"What was your point in bringing her here?" Souji remained silent for a moment, he wasn't sure of the answer himself.

"She shows promise with a sword. She was able to keep up with me. Rather than killing her, I feel she could be useful to us," he explained. Kondou seemed to consider Souji's words for a moment.

"That's rather impressive. However, you know very well Souji, the Shinsengumi is no place for a woman." Souji nodded.

"I understand."

"And taking in a criminal isn't exactly good practice…" Souji looked as though he was about to say something, but Kondou continued. "On the other hand, it's not often that I see you so serious Souji. If you, of all people, have chosen to spare someone, it must be worth my while to consider them." Kondou smiled. "So long as you can you perform your share of the responsibilities, I think I can accept you into the Shinsengumi Hasegawa." Her eyes widened, and she quickly bowed.

"Thank you so much sir." He let out a lively laugh.

"You can sit up. I think it would be best for your sake if you were to pass yourself off as a man for a while," he added. Mikoto nodded.

"Of course."

"And I think you'll make a good edition to the 1st unit." Souji looked like he was about to protest, but he bit his tongue.

"Of course Kondou san," was all he said. "Where should we keep her for the night?" Kondou thought for a moment. "Keep her in your room for tonight Souji, we'll find somewhere for her tomorrow. And see if you can find her a change of men's clothes. We'll have a meeting over breakfast to inform the others." Again, Souji was none too pleased with Kondou's answer but didn't argue the matter. They left without further discussion. Souji led her to his room and tossed some old clothes at her. "Change, I'll wait outside," he said coldly. After binding her chest, she changed into the kimono and hakama, both of which swallowed her up, and then let Souji back into the room. They sat across from one another. "Well, now's as good a time as any for you to tell me your story," Souji started. Mikoto sighed.

"My family was close when I was a child, it was my father that taught me to use a sword," she started. "That changed though, when my mother died. My father was grief stricken, and didn't handle it well. He changed into a completely different man. He was never sober, and he spent all of his time and money either at Shimabara or gambling." Mikoto looked at the ground, her expression dark. "He's the one that gave me this scar. He came home one night, drunk and frustrated after losing money. I didn't have dinner ready fast enough for him." She laughed bitterly. "When he finally ran out of money, he sold me to Shimabara." She looked back up. Souji was listening intently, his eyes softening for the first time that night. "That's where I met the women that I stole for. They cared for me, and comforted me when I was scared."

"Why would you leave Shimabara to work at the tea houses and inns?" he questioned.

"I didn't leave because I wanted to. I had to run. A man came in one night, got drunk, and became very aggressive." Her fists clenched at the memory. "He attacked me, so I did what anybody would have done, and defended myself. Of course, for a lowly woman like me to have killed a patron, even in self defense, was intolerable. If I hadn't run, they would have killed me in turn." She sighed. "A little while after that is when Ayumi and the other women asked me to make those runs for them…" Souji scowled.

"Women in Shimabara would have been much better off than you, why risk yourself for them?" he asked, sounding disgusted.

"I...I felt like I owed them…" She sighed. "And tonight was to be my last run." He said nothing, and after a moment, laid down, back to her.

"You take the futon," he grumbled. "And Hasegawa, if you do anything against Kondou san, I'll-" He stopped mid sentence. He couldn't bring himself to kill her this time, he wasn't sure what made him think he ever could.


	9. Chapter 9

Mikoto followed Souji to the common room where they would be eating breakfast, and where she would be introduced to the others. He hadn't spoken a word to her all morning, not that she had expected much from him, but it still disheartened her. As they neared their destination, the loud voices of two men hit their ears. Souji smirked, recognizing the noise well. Souji slid open the door and entered, followed by Mikoto. As she stepped in, the two men who had been creating the rukus abruptly stopped. All eyes fell on her. She gave a small bow in greeting, then took a seat across from Souji. He didn't look at her, not even a glance. She began to feel uncomfortable, and she shifted a little. She heard a snicker from one of the men.

"Hey Heisuke, looks like there's somebody here who's finally smaller than you!" The man who spoke and the redhead beside him laughed, while the smaller man across from them glared daggers at the man who had spoken.

"Shut up Shinpachi! At least I don't look like an old man!" Shinpachi stopped laughing and returned Heisuke's glare.

"Care to repeat that?"

"That's enough you two," Kondou finally said, shutting the men up. "I'd like you all to meet Hasegawa Mikoto. As of last night, she is a full member of the Shinsengumi under the 1st division." Mikoto nodded.

"Nice to meet you all," she stated nervously. The redhead and a man with indigo hair both nodded in greeting.

"Harada Sanosuke," the redhead introduced, giving her a big welcoming smile. "You must be quite impressive," he added.

"Saito Hajime," the indigo haired man said quietly. A man that sat beside Kondou with shoulder length brown hair and hazel eyes smiled kindly at her.

"It should be quite interesting having you around. I'm the colonel of the Shinsengumi, Sannan Keisuke." While those three seemed only surprised that she had been accepted, the other three men gawked, unable to get past the news that she was female. Shinpachi and Heisuke stared at her openly, while a raven haired man with violet eyes looked at Kondou.

"Kondou san, what is the meaning of this? We don't have the accommodations for a woman. This is no place for her," he pointed out.

"According to Souji, she was able to fend him off fairly well. Woman or not Toshi, a skilled swordsman always has a place in the Shinsengumi." Hijikata looked at her in disbelief, then, rubbing the bridge of his nose, he sighed.

"Very well. I suppose you've never been wrong about recruits before. Hijikata Toshizo, vice commander of the Shinsengumi,"he introduced formally. Shinpachi let out a laugh.

"I can't believe I didn't see it. Even in men's clothing, you're very feminine. Nagakura Shinpachi!" he introduced eagerly. "So Heisuke, the only person in the Shinsengumi smaller than you is a girl!" Heisuke shot him another glare.

"Toudou Heisuke," he introduced, beaming at her. "You can call me Heisuke!" She couldn't help but return his smile. Though everyone's kindness had helped to ease her nerves, Mikoto still felt uneasy. The only person she wanted the kindness from wouldn't even spare her a glance. Souji had kept his eyes to the ground the entire time. Kondou cleared his throat to regain everyone's attention.

"It's best that the rest of the men remain unaware of this information for the time being. I'd like Mikoto to have time to settle in comfortably," he explained.

"I don't want any distractions to come of this," Hijikata warned, his gaze falling specifically on Shinpachi. Once the discussion was over, everybody returned to eating their breakfast, chattering happily. Shinpachi and Heisuke argued over who got to eat what, while Sanosuke sat, prodding both of them here and there. Mikoto couldn't help but laugh. Hearing her, Shinpachi looked over with a grin.

"What do you think Mikoto chan? I definitely need it more, right?" Heisuke shoved his way closer to me.

"No way, you know it should be mine, right Mikoto chan?" She laughed.

"Oh, well, uh…" As she was trying to think of a reply, she noticed Souji excusing himself. Watching him leave, Mikoto quickly put her chopsticks down, clasping her hands.

"Thank you for the meal," she said loudly, with a quick bow. Everyone turned to her, confused.

"Mikoto?" Kondou questioned. She quickly got up and chased after him.

"Mikoto chan!" Heisuke called, jumping up after her.

"Souji, wait!" she called, managing to catch up to him before he had walked off too far. She grabbed his sleeve. He turned around, pulling away from her grasp.

"How dare you speak to me like that," he said, his tone menacing. "I am your captain, and you are my subordinate. Do you understand?" he demanded, his face inches from hers. For a moment, all she could do was was hold his intense glare, doing what she could to bite back frustrated tears. "Hasegawa!" he snapped.

"Y-yes. Sorry sir…" she choked out, taking a couple steps back. With that, he turned and continued on his way.

"What the hell Souji?" Someone placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Sanosuke. Shinpachi was standing on the other side of her, arms crossed, as he glared after Souji. Heisuke came around and stood in front of her. He wiped away one of the tears that had rolled down her cheeks.

"Are you alright Mikoto chan?" he asked, concerned. "I'm not sure what's gotten into him. He's not like that to his men." She simply shook her head and looked at the ground.

* * *

Ayumi made her way towards the room that the inn's owner had directed her to. She was going to pay Mikoto a visit. She had promised to take care of the list the night before, so she expected to be able to pick up her items now. "Mikoto, I hope you…" As she slid the door open, she froze. In the middle of Mikoto's room sat a man in the Shinsengumi blue. He sat cross legged, his sword leaning against him. He had brown hair and striking green eyes, which at the moment were fixed on her.

"Ayumi, I presume?" he questioned. Her voice was caught by fear. She had heard plenty of gruesome tales about the Shinsengumi. She simply nodded.

"Wh-where's Mikoto?" He got to his feet.

"What does it matter to you? This is all you care about, right?" He held out a sack. When she didn't reply, his eyes darkened as he scowled. He threw the bag at her, and she caught it, fumbling a little. "You should be ashamed of yourself. You took advantage of a girl less fortunate than you." He drew his sword. "People like you disgust me." In one quick movement, he was in front of her, his blade to her throat. "I have half a mind to kill you for hurting her," he said, grinning as his eyes narrowed. An involuntary whimper escaped her. After a moment, he backed away and sheathed his sword. "But I won't. She's safe. Get out of my sight." For a moment, she was unable to move. As soon as she regained control of her legs, she scrambled away as quickly as possible, letting out several yelps as she went.


	10. Chapter 10

Mikoto was on her hands and knees, diligently scrubbing clean the floors of the common room where everyone had eaten breakfast. It had been five days since she had been brought into the Shinsengumi. Despite having been what she was, she welcomed by everybody with open arms. Almost everybody. Souji had yet to show her any warmth or kindness. For the first three days, he didn't talk to her, other than to give her orders. For the past two days, he had talked to her, but the conversations had been curt and cold, not to mention nerve wracking and painful. Not that she blamed him. She knew she deserved no more than what he was giving her, but it still cut her deeply. She sat up on her knees and wiped her forehead with a sigh.

"What are you doing?" Mikoto jumped at the voice behind her. She turned to see Souji leaning against the doorway, arms folded across his chest. His green eyes were as cold as the steel of his blade.

"Okita sama!" she exclaimed, startled. She couldn't help but shrink whenever his gaze fell on her. "I'm just cleaning the floors after breakfast...as you told me to do every day…" she explained, somewhat anxious.

"I have patrol this afternoon. You're a member of the 1st division, so you're welcome to join," he stated. She had a spark of hope for a moment. Perhaps walking the streets of Kyoto as they had before could fix their broken bond. That spark fizzled quickly though. As she scanned his face, there wasn't even the slightest hint of a smile or kindness of any sort. He remained expressionless. She got the feeling that he was asking as a formality. She looked to the ground.

"I...I think it's best if I finish up here." He shrugged.

"Fine." He turned to walk away, but he stopped. "You aren't a page you know," he said, without turning to face her. "You don't have to act like one." With those words he left her. As he made his way to gather his men for the patrol, Souji let out a forlorn sigh. He had hoped she would join him. His days were beginning to feel empty now that they hadn't been speaking. He wanted to change that. "Oh well…" he murmured.

* * *

Everyone had decided to gather in the training hall to have a few friendly matches with one another. Mikoto was currently in a practice match with Heisuke. Everyone cheered the two on, save for Souji. He sat just outside of the building, listening to the cracks of bokken hitting bokken. He heard Heisuke let out a yelp, then there was a crash as he fell. Souji smirked, peeking inside. He had underestimated her speed and limber form. She quickly bent over.

"Heisuke kun! I'm sorry, are you alright?" She held a hand out to help him up. He looked up at her with a good natured smile, letting out a quick laugh.

"It's alright Mikoto chan. Guess you beat me, huh?" He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Shinpachi roared with laughter.

"You got beat by a girl Heisuke!" Mikoto laughed, a little embarrassed.

"Nah, it was just luck, really," she tried to explain. Sanosuke slapped her on the back, pushing her forward a little.

"Don't be so modest. You really have a lot of skill," he said with a grin. "Right Souji?" Souji flinched. He'd been caught. Mikoto's grip on her bokken tightened as her eyes immediately moved to the entrance of the training hall. He got to his feet and stepped into view. Mikoto unconsciously took a step back. Souji avoided her sorrowful, worried gaze. "Why doesn't her captain give it a go?" Before he had a chance to respond, Heisuke threw the bokken he had been using at him. Souji caught it, putting on a smile.

"Fine. I don't see why not. Ready Mikoto chan?" His words had come out more threatening than he had intended. He had to keep himself from grimacing. She nodded nervously. They stood across from one another, readying themselves. "First move is yours," he offered. She took a breath, and in a quick fluid movement, got to his side. Her strike came fast, almost too quickly for him to stop. He was impressed. His smile was now genuine. He quickly retaliated with his own strikes. She dodged several of them, and blocked the last one. She needed no time to rebalance herself. Mikoto quickly moved and made a swipe at his legs. He got low, blocking it. "No need to take it easy on you," he stated. Their eyes locked for a good minute. Souji began to lose himself in those eyes, as he had several times before. The grip on his bokken loosened. "Mikoto chan-" he started, but was instantly stopped as alarm flashed through her eyes. A sudden wave of aggravation crashed over him. Aggravation with the situation. Aggravation with her. Aggravation with himself. His grip tightened once more, and he lashed out in the only way he knew how. Before Mikoto knew what was happening, Souji lunged, hitting her square in the gut. She doubled over, the wind knocked out of her. As she straightened up, gasping for breath, pain shot through her ribs as Souji delivered another sharp whack to her side. He gave another brutal blow to her other side. She fell to her knees, coughing. Souji brought his bokken above his head, ready to deliver the finishing blow to the head.

"Souji!"

"Souji stop!" He was deaf to their cries. All he could focus on was his own disquiet. He brought the bokken down, but it would never hit its mark. Saito stepped between them, his sword drawn. The bokken splintered and snapped upon impact with the steel blade.

"That's enough Souji," Saitou said sternly. "Open your eyes." As the broken half of the bokken clattered to the wooden floor, Souji came to his senses. He looked around, and saw Sanosuke and Shinpachi glaring at him, while Heisuke wore a horrified expression. He met Saito's stony gaze. Looking beyond Saito, he saw what he had done. Mikoto was on the ground, panting heavily. She was holding her undoubtedly injured sides, her expression twisted by pain. He shook his head. He wanted to reach out to her, apologize and comfort her. He wanted to beg for forgiveness. Even more, he wanted to take it back. Instead, all he could do was drop the broken bokken and run out of the training hall.

* * *

Souji channeled all of his frustrations into the swinging of his sword. Each swing downward became more forceful. He wanted nothing more than to speak with Mikoto as they had before the truth had come out, but he just couldn't. He was no longer angry with her. He understood her actions, and realized he was no better. In fact, he was worse. What held him back now was the way he'd treated her in the days to follow. Of course, now there was also the guilt from the match they had had just yesterday, hanging over him. After being so cruel, how could he ever hope to make amends? Especially when he hadn't the slightest clue how to communicate these things her. His swings became gradually weaker as his frustration faded to sadness, and eventually stopped altogether. Feeling more subdued, he sheathed his blade. He had to talk to her. He knew that in two days time would be his next patrol. He would bring her a long. He couldn't take no for an answer.


	11. Chapter 11

Mikoto sat alone in the room she had been given, polishing her sword. It was something she hadn't had the chance to do in a long time, and the blade had become quite foggy. With every stroke down the blade, she cringed. Though she hadn't sustained any serious injuries during her bout with Souji, it had left her with nasty bruises on her sides, complete with swelling and unpleasant discoloration. She sighed, resting her arm.

"Mikoto chan!" She looked over to her door upon hearing her name.

"Heisuke kun! Come in," she invited. He slid open the door, and gave her a smile.

"How are the bruises?"

"They're fine, I can hardly feel them," she lied. She didn't want anybody worrying over her, nor did she want anybody holding her injuries over Souji's head.

"Good to hear! Kondou san was looking to speak with you," he explained. She nodded.

"Thank you, I'll go talk to him now." Heisuke gave a cheery good bye, and was on his way. Mikoto got to her feet and sheathed her sword, then left her room to find Kondou. As she made her way towards Kondou's room, she could hear the distant sounds of wood hitting wood, indicating that some of the men were training. Each hit made her flinch a little. She mentally kicked herself for letting the incident get to her. The door to Kondou's room was already open while he was waiting for her. She gave a small bow. She noticed vice commander Hijikata was sitting beside him. "You wanted to see me Kondou sama?"

"Ah, Mikoto! Come on in, have a seat!" he welcomed warmly. She did as she was told, and greeted Hijikata with a small bow. He responded with a nod. "We hear you had quite the match with Souji a couple days ago," he started. Mikoto laughed nervously.

"I did," she admitted.

"That's impressive," Hijikata stated. "How are your injuries?"

"Oh, they're just fine. Like I told Heisuke kun, I can't even feel them anymore."

"Can you explain what happened?" Mikoto was taken aback by Kondou's request.

"Well, it was just a normal practice match. Sanosuke san suggested it. I lost and that's that," she stated simply. Hijikata sighed.

"Nagakura told us something a little different," Hijikata stated. Mikoto bit back her scowl. Even after only being there a week, she already knew that Shinpachi could be a hot head. She would have to talk to him later. "He said he got rather aggressive with you." She shook her head.

"No, no, we were just training. It's a captain's job to push his mens' limits, is it not?" Kondou and Hijikata exchanged skeptical looks.

"If you're more comfortable, we can put you in another division."

"No!" she said, a little more forcefully than she had intended. "No, I'm happy in the 1st division, really." Kondou let out a sigh, then smiled.

"Very well then. He's been acting strange lately, but Souji is a good kid." His words were said with the adoration a father would have for his son. "I'm glad you're giving him a chance." Mikoto smiled.

"I know he is. He's the one that's given me a chance…" she said softly. With their discussion at an end, Mikoto gave a respectful bow, and left to return to her room. She sighed, wondering if she had made the right choice. Even though she wanted to stay on Souji's division, she had no idea if he wanted her there.

"Why the long face, Mikoto chan?" She looked up, startled. She had been lost in her thoughts, and failed to pay attention. Waiting in front of her room was the subject of her thoughts himself.

"Okita sama! What is it?" For the first time that week, his eyes weren't cold. They held the playfulness she was used to from him.

"I came by for two reasons. First, I wanted to give you these." He held out two folded articles of clothing. On top was the blue Shinsengumi coat. She hadn't yet received her own. "That may be a little big," he stated. "But it'll work." Underneath the coat was a purple kimono. Without even thinking about it, a smile came to her face. It was the kimono he had bought for her when they had first met. When he had brought her to the Shinsengumi, she had had no time to grab it from the inn. She was thrilled to have it back.

"Okita sama...thank you so much…" A small smile came to his lips.

"I figured you'd like it back. I went and grabbed it after...after our match," he explained, somewhat hesitantly. He rested a hand on her head. On impulse, she withdrew slightly from his touch, but immediately relaxed again. "I also came here to ask you to join me on patrol tomorrow night." Her eyes widened. "I know you didn't want to go on the last one, but-"

"I'll go," she said, nodding eagerly. He looked surprised for a moment, then smiled. Though his expression was kind, Mikoto noticed melancholy as well.

"Good. We'll leave tomorrow when Heisuke's patrol returns." With that, he began to walk away. "Oh, and none of that formal stuff, makes me sound like an old man," he called over his shoulder. Mikoto couldn't suppress the grin that tugged at the corners of her lips upon hearing those words.


	12. Chapter 12

Mikoto scrubbed at the floor, ignoring the pain from her bruising, grumbling to herself all the while. "Men are such a mess," she mumbled. "They have no understanding of cleanliness at all…" Despite not being considered a page, she had chosen to keep cleaning daily, simply because nobody else would. Also, cleaning would help to pass the time before the 1st division's patrol that night. She got to her feet and wiped her brow with a sigh. She grabbed the bucket, now filled with dirtied water. She had to dump and refill it. As she made her way to the water well, the sound of laughter floated through the air, hitting her ears. "Children?" she wondered aloud. She began to make her way towards the courtyard, where the noise seemed to be coming from. As she turned the corner Mikoto stopped in her tracks. Souji was sitting in the courtyard, but he wasn't alone. Several children were running around, and hanging off of him. They were all laughing and having a great time. One boy pounced on Souji from behind, hanging from his shoulders.

"I got you, you Choushou clansman!" the boy cheered. Souji let out a laugh.

"I'll never be able to make my escape now," he played along. Mikoto found herself staring, a small smile on her lips. It had been a while since she had seen him so genuinely happy. She leaned against the post on the porch, a soft sigh leaving her. Souji glanced over towards the porch, then had to do a double take upon noticing Mikoto watching him, a contentedly dazed look on her face. In that moment, he lost his balance, thanks to the child on his back, and fell backwards. His fall snapped her out of her captivated state, and she quickly stood up, and their eyes locked for a brief moment. As he tried to sit up, he flashed her a quick smirk. Her response was to give a quick bow, and hurry away. "Wait, Mi-" She was gone before he could stop her. "-koto…" He sighed, and looked around, a smile forming as his eyes rested on a sakura tree growing in the courtyard. Once Mikoto had gotten out of sight of Souji, she rested against the wall, sliding down to take a seat.

"What is wrong with me…" she mumbled, trying to make her heart settle down. The moment she had met those emerald eyes, her breath had caught in her throat. She sighed, putting a hand to her chest. After a moment, she got to her feet and continued on to the well, though she couldn't help but smile. Seeing Souji behaving so sweetly had warmed her heart. Reaching the well, she dumped the dirtied water on the ground, then began to fill her bucket. When the bucket was nearly full, Mikoto felt a small tug on her clothing. She stopped scooping water into the bucket, and turned to be met with a small boy. It was the boy that had jumped up on to Souji's back. She smiled.

"Hello little one. What can I do for you?" He smiled sweetly, and brought his hand from behind his back.

"Souji asked me to bring this to you!" he said, somewhat excited. In his hand was a small bunch of pink sakura blossoms. Each flower had soft, delicate petals. She blinked, not sure what to do for a moment. She then took them from the boy.

"Thank you…" she murmured. With an excited laugh, the boy ran away, leaving Mikoto alone with her confusion. "Souji…"

* * *

The 1st division of the Shinsengumi was patrolling the streets of Kyoto under the moonlight. Souji and Mikoto walked a little ways away from the rest of the men, a bit of distance between them. They had been silent for most of the patrol. Souji kept casting glances over at his companion. He couldn't help but smile. Her blue haori was fairly large on her, making her look even smaller in stature than she already was. She looked up at him as he looked her over, and he quickly looked away.

"Souji?" she questioned. "Is something wrong?"

"Of course not," he said quickly.

"Who were those kids today?" she asked, trying to spark up a conversation. Souji smirked.

"Is that what you were focused on this morning Mikoto chan?" he asked playfully. "I could have sworn it was me that drew your attention." She flushed and looked away.

"W-well, I-I was just…" Souji let out a laugh. Hearing his laugh thrilled her. He hadn't laughed around her like that since before joining the Shinsengumi.

"It's cute when you're flustered…" he stated absent mindedly. Mikoto's already flushed cheeks grew warmer. "They're kids from town," he explained. "Sometimes when they're bored, if I have the time, I play with them." Mikoto smiled.

"You're a sweet person Souji…" He looked over at her, his expression a little sadder now.

"You're the last person I'd expect to hear that from," he stated grimly. She shook her head.

"No...I deserved the treatment you gave me. I...you've done so much for me, and look at how I've repaid you," she said, picking her words carefully.

"You don't understand Mikoto. I was too harsh, and I treated you very unfairly," he said with a scowl. "Your actions were understandable for someone that was in your position. To be honest…" He let out a sigh. "Had I not met Kondou, I'd be no better than you. Much worse in fact. As it stands, I'm no more than a killer with a purpose. Had I not met Kondou, I'd be a killer lacking that purpose. I'd be a monster," he finished, his voice quiet. His demeanor suddenly became cheerful again. "Not that it matters now, right Mikoto chan? We've both been given chances to change." She smiled.

"You're right...thank you Souji," she said looking up at him. He looked some what taken aback for a moment, then he smiled.

"We're about at the end of our patrol, ready to go back?" She nodded. Souji gave his men the order to return to headquarters, and they started back. The route back was taken in a comfortable silence. They didn't speak again until they were right inside the Shinsengumi's gates. Souji lightly grabbed Mikoto's arm and pulled her to the the side. "Wait here a moment," he requested quietly.

"Huh? Oh, okay…" she complied, though somewhat confused. Souji waited until all of the men had filed into the compound and were out of sight, then he finally turned to her. Mikoto was surprised. His expression seemed clouded with concern, and his striking green eyes brimmed with something she couldn't quite place. It was an expression she had never seen him wear. Seeing her wide golden eyes, the eyes that had drawn him in in the first place, staring at him as they were now made Souji's pulse race. "I haven't asked you yet...how...how are your injuries?" he questioned hesitantly. A fresh wave of guilt rolled over him as the words left his mouth, and he had to keep from grimacing.

"Oh…" She looked to the ground. She then looked back up at him with one of her masking smiles. "I'm just fine, so don't worry about it," she said, almost too cheerfully.

"Mikoto, I-"

"I said don't worry about it." Suddenly, Souji took a hold of both of her shoulders.

"Don't lie to me!" he demanded, his voice shaky and his tone desperate, as he shook her slightly. Though she expected it, as she scanned his face, Mikoto found no anger. His eyes were wide as they stared intensely into her own. "Please, Mikoto...don't lie to me," he pleaded, sounding more vulnerable than she ever imagined he could.

"Souji…" she murmured. "I...the bruises are painful, but it's nothing severe, really," she said, trying to reassure him. Without any warning, Souji pulled her to him, embracing her. One of his hands held the back of her head to his chest, while his other arm kept her close to him. She stiffened for a moment, then relaxed in his arms.

"I'm sorry Mikoto…I'm so sorry," he said in a near whisper, his arm tightening around her, his fingers gently burying into and taking hold of her hair. His voice trembled as if he were in pain. "I ran...I left you when I should have stayed," he continued. "Never again, Mikoto." He shook his head. He moved the hand that held her head to the side of her face, allowing her to look up at him, while still keeping her close with his other arm. His eyes were soft and affectionate, and his smile kind yet sad. "I won't leave your side again," he promised. "I-" Footsteps could be heard nearby, causing Souji to quickly look away from Mikoto, and towards the source of the footsteps. He chuckled softly. "Lets go somewhere a little more hidden," he suggested.

"Yeah...okay," was all Mikoto could get out, as she was still in a daze. Souji took her by the hand and led her to the courtyard, where they sat beneath a sakura tree. The same sakura tree from which the flowers had come from. She leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. For a long while the only sound was a soft breeze through the trees.

"Mikoto, I…" Souji turned, wanting to continue what he had been saying, until he brushed the hair away from her face. The peace had soothed her to sleep on his shoulder. He smiled, and let out a sigh. "Oh well...another time then…" he murmured. He sat for a while, listening to her soft breathing. Once he began to feel tired himself, he got to his feet, lifting her up with him. He carried her to her room and laid her gently on the futon. He moved the hair that hung over her forehead, and admired her for a moment, before pressing his lips tenderly to her forehead. "Good night Mikoto-chan…"


	13. Chapter 13

Light shone through the paper walls of Mikoto's room. She let out a soft groan as she stretched, her eyes blinking open. She was disoriented for a moment before she remembered the previous night. She sat up, rubbing her face.

"Souji must've brought me in here…" she muttered to herself. After giving herself a moment to completely wake up, realization crashed over her, bringing with it waves of guilt and embarrassment. "I fell asleep while he was trying to talk to me…" She let out a sigh. She knew she had to apologize, so she got to her feet and made her way outside. She looked around, trying to decide where to start looking for her captain, though that quickly became unnecessary.

"Ah, good morning Mikoto chan, you slept well I hope?" She turned to see Souji walking towards her with a tray of food. She quickly bowed.

"Souji! I'm so sorry…" He looked at her, and laughed. "Wh-what's so funny?" His lips curved in a sly feline-like smile.

"You're just strange, that's all." She opened her mouth, but wasn't entirely sure how to respond. "I brought your breakfast, since you decided not to wake up today," he said, motioning to the tray in his hands. She smiled, and gratefully took the tray from him. "If you don't mind, I'd like to sit with you while you eat." She nodded.

"I'd like that, thank you." They both took a seat. As she began to eat, he watched her, resting his head in his hand. She began to feel self conscious. She put her chopsticks down, her cheeks growing warm. "As I was saying, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep on you last night, I just…"

"I'll forgive you this time. Next time you drool on my shoulder, I won't be so kind." Her eyes widened, and her face turned beet red as she covered her mouth.

"I didn't...I-" He began to snicker.

"I'm just kidding. You're actually quite lovely when you sleep." Mikoto relaxed, but not much.

"So…," she started, unable to meet his eyes. "What was it you were trying to say last night?" He looked as if he were about to respond, but after a moment of thought, he changed his mind.

"I think it's something best left for later," he stated simply. Mikoto's shoulders slouched in disappointment, earning a chuckle from Souji. "Don't worry, you'll understand before long," he reassured. She wanted to protest, but felt it was best to let the matter go. She finished eating her breakfast quickly and got to her feet.

"Thank you for bringing this to me Souji," she said quickly, ready to get started on the cleaning for the day. He raised an eyebrow.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" he questioned.

"Well, I slept late so I need to hurry if I want to get the cleaning done today." He sighed, and stood.

"I've told you, you aren't a page. Instead of doing that, I'd like you to come stand guard at the checkpoint with me today," he said, crossing his arms. "But, I suppose if cleaning is what you prefer, I won't stop you." She looked at him for a moment.

"I'll go with you," she decided. "I don't want to leave your side either, Souji…" she added softly, a reply to his words from the previous night. He looked surprised, but then an expression of contentment came to his features. He rested a hand on her head, lightly tussling her hair.

"I'm glad." He turned and began to walk away. "Our shift starts in an hour, be ready to go."

* * *

Hours passed at the checkpoint with little excitement. The sun was low in the sky and would be setting soon. Souji stood across from Mikoto, arms crossed. She stood, eyes focused on the ground. Souji eyed her for a moment, a small smile playing on his lips.

"You seem miserable to be here," he stated. Her head snapped up to look at him.

"N-no, that's not it, I just didn't expect it to be so slow," she said quickly. "I'm glad I came with you though." Souji opened his mouth, ready to say something, but stopped as he heard footsteps approaching.

"Saito san! You took too long," Souji said with a childish pout.

"I'm right on time," Saito stated, not catching on to Souji's playful joke. Souji waved his hand dismissively.

"Right, right. We'll be going now." He walked over and took Mikoto's hand. "Come on Mikoto chan, we have some shopping to get done before we go back." He began to pull her along.

"Wait, shopping for what?" she asked, jogging a little to catch up with him. Though she was now walking side by side with him, he had yet to let go of her hand.

"What have I told you about asking stupid questions? We have to get ingredients for dinner of course. It's my turn to cook, and you'll be helping me," he explained. "We're going to make Shabu shabu," he stated. Mikoto smiled. He looked at her, eyebrow raised. "What?"

"I didn't know you could cook, that's all," she said with a shrug. He frowned.

"What, you don't think I'm capable? You offend me, Mikoto chan."

"You're one to talk about being offensive," she bit back with a smile. Souji laughed. Reaching town, they began shopping for the needed ingredients. Before long they both held a basket that was relatively full.

"I think we have everything…" Souji stated, looking over the baskets. "Ready to go?" Mikoto thought for a moment. Then she grinned.

"Let's get some dango for the walk back," she suggested. Souji smiled softly. He found her unyielding love of food rather endearing.

"Fine, but this is the last time I'm paying for your endless appetite," he teased. They quickly found a food vendor. As Souji was handing over his payment for the sticks of dango, Mikoto caught sight of something happening a little ways down the road. Her eyes widened, and her hand moved instinctively to her sword. A man appeared to be robbing from a young girl selling hair pins.

"Souji, hold this!" Without giving him a chance to react, she thrust her basket of ingredients into his arms, leaving him with his hands full. He realized what she was doing

"Damnit Mikoto, wait!" he demanded, but was ignored. She ran after the man, and Souji tried his best to follow her without dropping any of their purchased food.

"Stop," MIkoto demanded. The man noticed that he was being chased, and quickly turned the corner. Seeing Mikoto disappear around the building made Souji's heart pound.

"Mikoto!" he called, quickening his pace. As he turned the corner, he let out a sigh of relief. The man was on the ground, and she stood over him, sword pointed at his chest. She had easily subdued him. "Mikoto," Souji barked. She turned, without removing her sword tip from the man's chest.

"Souji, I-" He scowled

"You idiot!" he snapped, storming towards her. He shoved her basket back into her free arm. She opened her mouth to say something, but Souji stopped her by sticking one of the orders of dango into her mouth. He roughly grabbed her wrist with his freed hand. "Don't ever run off like that again!" His expression then softened. "You scared me…" With those words, he let go of her wrist and used his arm to pull her to him. "You said you wouldn't leave my side…" Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. She could see the genuine concern with which his emerald eyes were flooded. After a moment, he let her go, and she pulled the dango from her mouth.

"I'm sorry...I just thought this is what I'm meant to do in the Shinsengumi. Atone for what I've done through stopping people like this…" she said, jabbing the man a little with her blade, earning a whimper from him. Souji rested a hand on her head.

"You're right...you did well," he said with a sigh. "Let's return the things he took, and get this scum to a constable." Mikoto nodded with a dispirited sigh. She had hoped to impress him, but had only succeeded in getting scolded.

* * *

Mikoto dropped her last handful of shiitake mushrooms into the nabe pot, then cast a glance at Souji, who was nearly done chopping all of the leeks. Feeling her eyes on him, Souji looked up.

"What's wrong Mikoto chan, you've been quiet since we got back. Is something bothering you?" He asked, setting down his knife and taking a couple steps towards her. She looked at the ground.

"I'm sorry Souji." His brow furrowed.

"For what?"

"The trouble I caused today. I was just hoping to show my worth as a member of the Shinsengumi. As a member of your division," she explained. Souji sighed, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"It's nothing to be sorry for. You did what any of us would have done, and you took care of it efficiently. Your actions were praiseworthy. I just...over reacted," he said, somewhat sheepishly. "I have my reasons for it though," he said quickly. He gently grabbed Mikoto's chin, bringing her to look at him. He wore a warm smile, and, though the lighting was dim, she could see that the warmth reached his eyes as he looked at her affectionately. "Do you know those reasons, Mikoto?" Slowly, she shook her head. "You slow girl," he teased. "I suppose I'll just have to show you then."

"Wh-" Before the words could leave her mouth, they were stopped by Souji's lips. For a moment Mikoto was stunned by the sensation of his lips on hers, but she soon closed her eyes, relaxing into the kiss. Souji let go of her chin, and used his arms to bring her close. As the kiss began to deepen, they heard the door slide open, and their eyes snapped open. Mikoto quickly jumped back in time to see Shinpachi, but she had moved too forcefully. She hit the nabe pot, sending it to the floor, food and all.

"Hey, is the food almost…" Shinpachi's words trailed off as he tried to process the scene before him. His eyes flicked back and forth between Mikoto, who stared at him wide eyed and nervous, and Souji, who stood with his arms crossed and wearing a frown as he looked away from both of them. Both of their faces were clearly flushed. A grin slowly crept to his lips as the pieces fell into place. "Well, Souji-"

"Speak another word, and I'll kill you," Souji said, cutting Shinpachi off. Mikoto clasped her hands together.

"Please Shinpachi san, don't tell anyone," she pleaded. He let out a hearty laugh. By now, more footsteps could be heard coming from down the hall, no doubt attracted by the noise created by the nabe pot falling. "Shinpachi san…"

"You're secret's safe with me," he said with a wink. Moments after that, the others appeared, poking their heads in the doorway.

"What was that, is everything alright?" Hijikata questioned, coming into the kitchen.

"Everything's fine Toshi san," Souji assured. "Our clumsy friend just knocked all of the food to the floor." He rested a hand on Mikoto's head. She quickly gave a bow.

"I'm so sorry sir." Hijikata let out a sigh.

"It's fine, but now…"

"Dinner out on Souji!" Shinpachi exclaimed, earning a quick glare from Souji. He then forced a smile.

"It'll be my pleasure," he stated. With that, everyone got ready to leave. His smile immediately fell, and he looked over at Mikoto, who shrugged, giving an abashed smile. "You owe me," he stated.

"But-" He gave her a quick kiss to cut her off. His lips twisted in a mischievous smile.

"We'll discuss your payment later."


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note: Hello everyone! This story has gotten much more attention than I expected, thank you so much for reading, I'm glad it's being enjoyed! I hadn't planned on making it very long, but now I'd like to keep it going. If you have any suggestions, criticism or comments, please feel free to leave them, they'll help a lot! Thank you ^^**

* * *

Mikoto was jolted awake as her door was slammed open. She rolled over, burying her head in her pillow with a tired groan.

"What the hell Souji?" she whined.

"Have you seen a mangy furball running around here?" She looked up at him, blinking as light flooded into her view. He couldn't help but smile at her sleepy daze.

"Seen...mangy furball?" she repeated. "How could I have seen anything Souji, I've been asleep," she muttered, her head falling back to the pillow. "What mangy furball...anyway," she asked, starting to doze off again. He gave a soft chuckle, kneeling down beside her. He brushed her disheveled hair away from her face.

"Don't worry about it, I'll explain when you're awake," he whispered to her. With those words, he left a soft kiss on her cheek, and turned to continue his search. Her eyes snapped open, but Souji was already gone. She brushed the spot where his lips had been with the tips of her fingers, smiling. A month had passed since Souji had made his feelings clear to Mikoto. Their secret hadn't been kept for long. Shinpachi had let it slip to Heisuke and Sanosuke one evening after getting drunk. After that, Saito had been able to figure it out through pure perception. Luckily for them, the news had yet to reach the three higher ups, Kondou, Hijikata and Sannan. They knew very well that Hijikata wouldn't be very open to the idea of a relationship amongst members of the Shinsengumi. She sat up and stretched. Spring was coming to an end, and the men had decided that it was as good a reason as any to celebrate. It was the week of Kanda Matsuri, and mostly everyone had wanted to join in on the festivities for one reason or another. The fireworks would be that night, she realized.

"Better go see what those guys are up to," she murmured to herself as she got dressed. She wore the purple kimono that Souji had gotten for her. Kondou had just recently permitted her to wear women's clothing again. Now she was only required to wear men's clothing when performing duties outside of the compound. Walking outside, it was easy enough to track everybody down based on the noise they were all creating. The captains were all running around the training yard, seemingly chasing something. Suddenly all of them looked in her direction. "Good mor-

"Mikoto chan, catch it!" Heisuke yelled. For a moment, she had no idea what he was talking about. Suddenly, something jumped up to her, and she instinctively caught it in her arms. She looked, and there was a calico cat rubbing against her affectionately.

"Hi there sweetie," she cooed, scratching its head. As she began to purr, the meat in her mouth dropped to the ground. The captains approached her.

"Well would you look at that," Sanosuke said with a laugh. "All it took was a woman's touch." Shinpachi picked the thin piece of meat up off of the ground, disappointment clear on his face.

"Yeah, but we still lost this little gem," he stated with a frown. Souji came up beside her putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Good thing I woke you up, eh Mikoto chan?" He grinned, and Mikoto had the feeling he had planned on waking her, cat or no cat. She frowned and flicked him lightly on the forehead. He let go of her and crossed his arms. "You're so mean to me Mikoto," he pouted, though a smile played on his lips.

"So what happened, why is she here?" Mikoto questioned, scratching the calico under the chin. She gave a soft mew in response.

"We aren't really sure, she just showed up and started causing trouble," Saito explained.

"Sounds like someone else we know," Souji teased, casting a glance at Mikoto as he reached over to pet the cat as well. Mikoto shot him a mock glare. After a moment, the cat jumped from her arms, and walked up to shinpachi, where she rubbed up against his leg. She then stretched up, using his leg to balance on her hind legs, looking up at him expectantly. Mikoto giggled.

'She wants the meat in your hand," she pointed out. With a crestfallen sigh, Shinpachi dropped it. The cat happily took it in her mouth and ran off. Mikoto's smile fell. "I hope she comes back…"

"Oh, I'm sure she'll be back," Heisuke said with a chuckle. Now that the excitement had died down, everyone began to disperse. Souji took one of Mikoto's hands in both of his, bring the tips of her fingers to his lips.

"Lets go train," he suggested. "To kill some time." He kissed her fingers as he looked at her with loving green eyes. Resting her free hand on the side of his face, she smiled.

"I'd like that."

* * *

Souji and Mikoto stood across from one another, bokken at the ready. They were starting yet another practice match. They had been training on and off for the past few hours, and both of them were starting to wear down.

"Loser buys dango tonight at the fireworks," Mikoto proposed. Souji smirked.

""Oh? Well if you insist, I look forward to the free food," he goaded. With those words, they charged at one another, exchanging several blows, before backing up again to evaluate the other's movements. Mikoto quickly made a swipe to his left side, which he quickly blocked, and before she could react, his bokken was at her throat. With a tired, defeated sigh, she fell backwards.

"Fine, fine, you win." Souji laughed

"You're fast, but you get rather sloppy when you're tired," he stated, then held out a hand to help her up. She sat up, about to take his hand, when suddenly his demeanor changed. Rather than grabbing her hand, he roughly took hold of her forearm, leaning in close to her and staring her down with cold eyes. "Is that really the best you can do?" he questioned. "Get up you idiot." With those words, he pulled her to her feet, bringing her close and keeping his grip on her arm. She kept quiet as she glared up at him. She understood what he was doing as soon as she had caught sight of Hijikata and Kondou out of the corner of her eye. "What do expect to accomplish in a real fight? I should just kill you right now…"

"Souji," Hijikata warned as he approached. Souji turned and looked at him as though he hadn't been aware of his presence the whole time.

"Toshi san!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "I was just having a conversation with Hasegawa here." Hijikata let out an irritated sigh, but before he could say anything, Kondou stepped in. Though his usual warmth was still there, Kondou appeared very serious.

"We wanted to be sure we spoke to everyone before tonight," he started. "If either of you plan on going out tonight for the festivities, we need you to stay vigilant. Times like these when the streets are crowded and the people are rowdy are optimal times for the choushou clansmen to make a move," he explained. "That being said, I'd still like you to have a good time." He finished speaking with with a grin. "And I'd like you to make sure people stay safe," he added, warning hidden under his kind words as his gaze focused on Souji. Souji and Mikoto gave respectful bows, and the commander and vice commander went on their way. As soon as they were out of sight, Souji pulled Mikoto into a kiss. He pulled away, placing his hand on the side of her face.

"I wish you'd give me a little more warning before you do that. It still throws me off when you change so quickly," Mikoto said with a sigh. Souji chuckled.

"Now if I did that, it would be less convincing. Hijikata is the last person we need knowing. Are you alright? I didn't hurt you did I?" he questioned, rolling her sleeve up to examine her arm.

"I'm fine Souji." He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Good. Now, how about we go get that dango you owe me before the fireworks start?" With a small smile Mikoto nodded. After putting the bokken away, Mikoto quickly changed back into her kimono, and they started towards town.

* * *

Mikoto leaned on the railing of the bridge, head in her hand. She let out a sigh.

"When are they going to start Souji?" she asked, looking up at him. He laughed.

"You're such a kid. They'll start when they start." She let out another sigh. The sun had already set, her orders of dango were long gone, and now she was becoming restless as she eagerly waited for the fireworks.

"I bet everyone ate dinner without us," she complained. Souji cocked an eyebrow.

"For someone so small, you eat a lot," he teased. She opened her mouth to say somethings, but stopped as a high pitch whistle sounded in the distance. She immediately straightened up with a grin as the first flower of fire blossomed in the dark sky. She watched with wide eyes as several more followed the first. She turned to Souji, only to see him speaking with someone, his expression serious. She recognized the man as Yamazaki Susumu. She had only met him a couple of times, but she knew that he was one of the Shinsengumi's spies. Yamazaki gave her quick nod, and took off.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, her brow knit with concern. He nodded.

"There's just some men stirring up trouble at a shop. They've raised some suspicion, so I'm going to go check it out," he explained.

"I'll go with you," she said quickly, grabbing his hand. He shook his head. "But-"

"I don't want you getting hurt. Besides, you've been looking forward to the fireworks. I'd like you to enjoy them," he said resting a hand her shoulder. Mikoto frowned, but didn't argue the matter. He kissed her cheek. "I'll see you back at the compound tonight." She nodded.

"Be careful." With that, Souji turned and disappeared into the crowd. With a sigh, Mikoto turned back to the fireworks, her interest in them now somewhat diminished. She watched until the show's conclusion before deciding it was time to return to headquarters for the night. As she was making her way through the crowded streets, she felt a tug on her sleeve.

"Excuse me, miss?" She turned to see who was trying to get her attention. Before her gaze could land on whoever it was, a sharp pain shot through the back of her head, then quickly numbed. She could feel herself falling, but could do nothing about it as her vision began to fade and she slipped out of consciousness.


	15. Chapter 15

Rays of early morning sunlight began to creep into the room through the paper walls. Souji's eyes blinked open, and he sat up, stretching. He was still exhausted from his late night of chasing around runaway delinquents, but he had no desire to go back to sleep. He had gotten back to the compound so late, he hadn't even had the chance to see Mikoto off to bed, or ask her about the fireworks. He pulled his hair into its usual topknot, and got to his feet. He went outside, starting towards Mikoto's room, but was stopped by Saito.

"Souji, we-"

"Hold on Saito san, give me a moment to talk to Mikoto," he said, waving a dismissive hand. Saito continued to follow him.

"Wait Souji, that's-"

"I said give me a minute. Whatever it is can wait." They stopped outside of her room.

"Souji, it's about-" Souji put a finger to his lips, telling Saito to be quiet.

"Mikoto chan! Time to wake up!" he said as cheerfully and as loudly as possible. His hand rested on the edge of the door ready to slide it open.

"Souji, wait!" Saito ordered. Souji ignored him, pushing the door open.

"Good…morning…" His gaze fell on an unoccupied, neatly made futon. His arm fell limply to his side. "She must...already be up…" he murmured, doubting his own words. "Right Saito san?" His friend's expression was grim.

"We don't think she returned last night." Souji's heart pounded against his chest. "There are already groups searching for her," Saito explained. "Kondou san has divided the search up into shifts. I'll be leaving as soon as Sanosuke san returns, if you'd like to join me," he offered. Souji nodded slowly.

"Thank you...Saito san…" he managed through his shock.

"We'll find her," he assured, before leaving. After a few moments of silence, Souji's emotions began to boil up. Letting out a frustrated shout, he threw a punch at the wall. He then sank to the ground, taking a seat on the edge of the walkway. He buried his head in his hands. He sat this way for several minutes until he felt something rub up against his leg. He looked down to see the cat from the day before, looking up at him with eyes that were golden like Mikoto's. He reached down and scratched the cat's head, a sad smile on his face.

"This is my fault, isn't it?" he asked, his words soft and bitter. "If I had just…" He sighed. "If I had just let her come with me, or if I hadn't left at all…" The calico looked up and gave a meow, as if responding to his words. "Damnit…" he hissed, his jaw clenching. He gave the cat one last pat and got to his feet. He couldn't just sit around and wait for shifts to switch. He refused to sit around doing nothing knowing that Mikoto could be in trouble. He had promised to be there when she needed him and he planned to keep that promise.

* * *

Mikoto's head was pounding. She could hear shuffling and voices, but they were muffled and distant. Her mouth was dry, and she could feel the cloth gag digging into the corners of her lips. Her arms were stiff as she tried to shift them. She realized that her wrists were bound behind her back as the rope cut into her skin when she moved. She slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred but she could make out four men. Two stood silently, swords out. The other two seemed to be having a conversation, one of them with his back to her.

"You're sure this is her?" the man facing her asked. The man with his back to her nodded.

"I'm positive. She was taken in by the Shinsengumi, I'm sure of it." The first man smiled.

"Good. Since she's a woman, it'll be easier to get information out of her. We'll be able to cripple the Shinsengumi now." Mikoto held back a gasp.

"Then, for my payment-"

"Your payment will come when the Choushou have control of Kyoto," the first man snapped. The second man cowered and nodded.

"Y-yes, of course sir…" He turned to look at Mikoto. She quickly closed her eyes so they didn't realize she had woken up, but not before she caught a glimpse of the man's face. It was the owner of the inn she had gone too after Souji and the others had raided the tea house. "I'll warn you though, she's a difficult one."

"There's not a woman in this world that's too tough to crack." Indignant, Mikoto had to bite her tongue. The two men left, laughing. The other two men stayed by the doorway, so Mikoto assumed they were acting as guards. She knew she couldn't afford to stay there for much longer, so she thought quickly. She had a dagger strapped to arm, under her sleeve, something Souji had insisted upon. He had told her that if she wasn't going to carry her sword while dressed in her kimono, he'd at least like for her to have a way to protect herself.

"Thank you Souji…" she whispered to herself. Keeping her eyes closed, as if she were asleep, Mikoto began to rub her arm up against the wall. This was slowly causing the strap that held the dagger to slide down her arm. Every once in a while she would peek at the men to be sure that their backs were still to her. After a few minutes the strap was at her elbow, and with a few more scrapes it fell below her elbow and slid easily down the rest of her arm. She caught the blade in her hand, ignoring the pain as it tore through the skin between her fingers. Carefully, and quietly she maneuvered the blade in her hands so she had a grip on the handle and the serrated edge was against the ropes that bound her. She began to saw at the rope, and gradually it loosened, fiber by fiber. Soon, she had managed to cut her way completely through the rope. She stopped as soon as the sharp blade grazed her skin and the rope fell to the floor. She brought her hands in front of her, shaking out her sore and bloodied wrists. She gave a small victorious smile as she removed the gag from her mouth. She shakily got to her feet as quietly as she could, then tightened her grip on the dagger's handle. She crept up behind the nearest guard, took a breath, and plunged the blade into the man's back as near to the heart as she could. He let out a strangled yelp and fell forward. The second guard looked over, shocked.

"Hey! St-" He was cut off as Mikoto quickly slit his throat. He also fell with a dull thud. Mikoto poked her head out into the hallway, looking up and down to be sure that the coast was clear. Stepping into the hallway, she recognized where she was immediately. It was the tea house that the Shinsengumi had raided when she she first met Souji. She figured the Choushou must have regrouped here once the Shinsengumi had stopped watching it. She went down the hallway towards the back exit, thinking that that would be her safest route. Reaching the stairs, she pressed herself against the wall and peered down the flight of steps. Determining it was safe to go, she ran down the stairs and towards the exit. When she was no more than a couple of yards away from the door, it suddenly slid open. Her eyes momentarily met with the cold gray eyes of the man she had seen earlier, before she turned on her heels and began running as fast as she could in the opposite direction.

"Stop right there you bitch!" he demanded, giving chase. Though she could hear him behind her she knew she was faster. She thought she could make it to the front exit, until something slammed into her from the side. She hit the wall, and was held there. A man had heard the commotion and had left his room to see what was happening. When he saw his boss chasing Mikoto down, he had quickly come to his aid. She struggled, but it was in vain. The man pinned her arms to her back and rested the entirety of his weight against her. The man that had been chasing her walked up, wearing a smirk. "Feisty thing, aren't you?" He let out a laugh. "It'll just make it that much more enjoyable to squeeze the information out of you," he said, bringing his face close to hers. She glared daggers at him.

"You won't get anything out of me. Just go to hell," she spat defiantly.

"Take her back up to her room, and make sure her restraints are more secure this time," he ordered. With those words, she was aggressively shoved forward, back to where she started.


	16. Chapter 16

Mikoto's golden eyes blazed as she glared up at her captor. Her restraints were heavier now. Rather than just tying her wrists, her arms were now pinned to her sides by the rope that wrapped around her whole torso. Numerous bruises and deep cuts were scattered all over her body, and left uncared for. The man, Osamu Gima, sat, a grin on his face. He was rolling the tip of a senbon needle over a candle flame, and he had a small pile of the needles on the ground beside him.

"I'm impressed. I didn't think a woman would last so long. I would have to say it's something for you to be proud of. Though, you are quite foolish. It's only going to get worse from here, I'm sure you're aware of that," he said, holding the needle up as he looked at her. He walked over to her and knelt down beside her. With two fingers, he felt along the back of her neck. She flinched as he hit the pressure point between her neck and her shoulder, and that's where his fingers stopped. "You can stop this you know. I just need to know your compound's weak points. Your patrol routes would be helpful. Maybe the soft spots of some of your allies? It won't take much."

"Like hell I'd tell a pig like you anything," she snapped, her will unfaltering. He shrugged.

"Don't say I didn't give you a chance." Suddenly, a searing pain flared up at the point where he had placed his fingers. Like lightening, the pain streamed through her body in jolts. Her muscles tensed and spasmed, screaming for the needle to be removed, but she wouldn't say a word. She clenched her fists as tightly as possible, her nails digging into her skin in a feeble attempt to divert her mind from the pain. She wanted to scream out, but refused to give him the satisfaction, though she couldn't stop the small whimpers from escaping. As she struggled to endure the agony, Osamu was already heating the tip of the next needle.

* * *

Souji fastened his sword to his hip, and left his room. The silver moon was still high in the sky, washing the ground with a pale light. He had returned to the compound after a long, fruitless search. He had only managed to get about an hour of uneasy rest before his cruel imagination forced him to get up to continue his search. He snuck quietly through the base, though not unnoticed as he had hoped. Saito and Heisuke were waiting for him at the gate. He stopped in his tracks, a weary smile on his lips.

"You should be resting Souji," Saito started. "You came back late."

"You aren't going to stop me. I can't rest, not until I know she's safe." He rested his hand on the hilt of his katana. They were his allies, but he wasn't above clashing with them if it was necessary. Heisuke grinned.

"Of course we aren't!" Souji blinked, surprised. "Mikoto chan is important to us too, none of us are just going to let her go," Heisuke explained.

"Shinpachi and Sano are already out looking," Saito stated.

"We just wanted to wait and let you know we're here to help. The Shinsengumi sticks together, right?" Souji nodded. Heisuke grinned again. "Then what are you waiting for? We're following your lead." Souji felt himself relax. Having more than one pair of eyes and ears would improve her chances.

"We're starting at Shimabara, there's someone I need to talk to."

* * *

Ayumi made her way down the walkway, a serving tray of sake in her hands, to her next customers. She knelt down at the door way.

"I'm coming in," she announced. She slid the door open. "Thank you for…" She froze, startled, and almost dropped the tray. She was met with a pair of bright green eyes that she recognized very well. The wolf of mibu had two other men with him, both wearing the same inscrutable expression. "Wh-what are you doing here? I swear, I've left Mikoto alone!" she quickly blurted. Souji gave her a wry smile.

"Your history with Mikoto is not why we're here, however, Mikoto's present situation is," he explained. Relaxing slightly, she entered the room and slid the door closed behind her. "Mikoto is in trouble." Ayumi was taken aback.

"Trouble? What kind of trouble?" Souji sighed, crossing his arms.

"We aren't entirely sure. All we know is that she's missing…" Seeing his eyes brimming with sorrow and frustration as he spoke made him seem less threatening. It humanized him, making Ayumi feel more at ease. "But I know Mikoto," he continued. "She wouldn't just run away. Something had to have happened, or someone had to have taken her." Though it concerned Ayumi that Mikoto was gone, she was confused as to why he had sought her out.

"But...what can I do?" she asked tentatively.

"Information," he said bluntly. "You can provide us with information. If you've seen or heard anything suspicious, we need to know." Ayumi thought for a moment, but then shook her head sadly.

"I haven't heard a thing…" Suddenly she perked up as she realized something. "But you may want to talk to Iwata Gorou." Souji's brow furrowed.

"Iwata Gorou?" She nodded eagerly.

"He's the owner of the inn where Mikoto was staying. A lot of unpleasant rumors float around about him and his inn," she explained. Souji's eyes narrowed, and his face split in a twisted grin.

"That bastard, huh? I'll happily go after him." He nodded his head. "Thank you for your help, keep us posted." He then turned to the other men, who had stayed quiet the whole time. "Saito, Heisuke, I think it's time we pay a little inn a visit." They nodded in agreement, and followed Souji.

"Souji, how do you know these people?" Heisuke questioned. Souji shrugged. He realized that that other men still thought that he had just met Mikoto when she became a part of the Shinsengumi.

"When we find Mikoto, maybe I'll tell you. For now, lets go find Iwata." Heisuke and Saito exchanged glances and shrugged. The three men quickly made their way to the man's inn, knowing that they couldn't afford to waste any time. As they reached their destination, Souji drew his sword.

"Hey Souji, aren't we just questioning the guy?" Heisuke questioned. Souji smiled.

"Of course we are."

"Souji, don't lose control," Saito warned.

"I'm perfectly in control," he said. "Everything I do to that man will be completely deliberate." With those words, he kicked in the inn's door. "Iwata," he demanded. The man stood behind the counter, cowering. Souji strode towards him and took him by the neck of his shirt, his blade's tip to the man's stomach. "Where is she, Iwata?" he hissed, bringing his face close to Gorou's.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" he said, trembling.

"Mikoto! Where the hell is she?" Souji shook the man a little.

"Don't tell me you lost her. I told you she wasn't trained." Though he had gathered courage enough for his words to become mocking, his voice still quivered with fear. Souji's icy eyes narrowed as his grip on the man tightened.

"Where is she?" His voice was low and threatening.

"Souji…" Saito began.

"He knows something!" Souji snapped. "I know he does…" He sighed. "But, I suppose if he's unwilling to tell us…" He dropped Gorou, who fell to his knees. "...then we can just dispose of him right here." He raised his sword, ready to execute the inn owner, but he quickly raised his hands above his head, and cried out.

"Please! She was taken by Choushou! They thought she'd be valuable in trying to take down the Shinsengumi…" Souji stopped and smirked.

"That wasn't so hard, now was it? Where are they keeping her?" Gorou looked from Souji to Saito and Heisuke then back to Souji.

"A-a tea house not far from here. It was abandoned a few months ago…" Souji's eyes widened, then he scowled.

"Damnit...I should have thought of that." He turned to Heisuke and Saito. "Let's go."

"I'll go find Sano and Shinpachi and let them no," Heisuke offered, then ran out. Saito and Souji started to follow suit.

"Wait!" Souji looked back at the man, his eyes cold. "Do I get any payment for my information." Souji looked at him for a moment. Slowly, his lips curled into a smile and he began to laugh. He put his hand to his forehead as his laugh escalated.

"Payment?" he scoffed as his laughter settled down. "Weren't you the one who sold my Mikoto out? The only payment you'll be getting is my sword through your heart!" Suddenly, he lunged at the man. He grinned at the satisfying feeling of his blade ripping through flesh. He yanked his sword from the man's body, flicking crimson blood from the tip. "Thank you for your cooperation, Iwata."


	17. Chapter 17

Mikoto rested against the corner, staying as still as possible. Her body was weary from absolute agony. Heated senbon needles had been stuck into numerous pressure points throughout her body, so now even the slightest twitch sent more pain wracking her tortured form. Even taking a breath was torment. She was weak with exhaustion, hunger and thirst, and blood loss accentuated her extreme fatigue. She heard the door to her room creak open, but made no move to acknowledge the man. She heard him chuckle.

"All of that fight you had seems to be gone now. Have I finally broken you? Will you tell me what I need to know?" Osamu questioned. Though she no longer had the energy to be openly defiant or aggressive, she hadn't lost her will. She stayed silent, not sure that there was much worse he could do to her. He sighed. "Oh well. I gave you your chance." Suddenly, he grabbed her face, pulling her forcefully towards him. Her muscles screamed as they received jolts of fierce pain. Tears spilled over from her eyes, and she failed to hold back a yelp. "Nothing loosens the tongue like a little alcohol I suppose." Her eyes widened as he tried to force her mouth open. She scowled and quickly bit into his thumb, digging her teeth into his flesh as best she could. With a shout he tore his hand away from her, then smacked her. "You bitch!" She glared at him, ignoring the stinging pain in her cheek. He regained his composure. "You had a chance to cooperate," he stated. This time, he pried her mouth open, holding a small knife in between her upper and lower jaw. If she dared to bite down, the blade would rip through her mouth. She had no choice but to stay put as he began to pour sake into her mouth. It burned a little as it slid down her parched throat, though having fluid came almost as a relief. He took the bottle away and smirked. "Now lets see how well you can keep quiet this way."

* * *

Five men hid themselves near an old teahouse. The sun had begun to rise, and Souji was itching to make his move. When they had arrived there a little while earlier, he had been ready to charge in, but the others talked him out of it. They had convinced him that it would be best to stake the place out for a while. Since it would only be the five of them, they wanted to gauge how many people they would have to face based on the comings and goings, and any other activity they could catch sight of. Souji had agreed only for Mikoto's sake. He realized that if they were to slip up, she'd be at risk. He sighed, impatiently drumming his fingers along the hilt of his sword. Shinpachi and Heisuke were both equally as restless, pacing and letting out anxious huffs. Sanosuke and Saito stood silently, seemingly patient, though their minds buzzed with agitation. Tension among the men rose. This wasn't just a raid, each of them knew that someone dear to them was at stake. None of them were as aware of this as Souji. He couldn't take the unrest any longer.

"We can't afford to wait any more," Souji finally declared, taking a couple of steps forward.

"Souji-"

"We don't know what the hell they could be doing to her. We don't even know if they have her!" he snapped. "We're wasting time here. We need to move." Saito sighed. Beside him, Sanosuke shifted his spear with a grin.

"I'm with Souji here," he stated. Saito nodded, knowing that Heisuke and Shinpachi felt them same.

"Heisuke and I will take the men downstairs, Sanosuke and Shinpachi, you go upstairs. Souji, you'll focus on finding Mikoto," Saito explained. All of the men nodded, rearing to go. Before he could be held back any longer, Souji made a dash for the tea house, his sword drawn. The other men were close behind him. He slammed himself into the door, breaking it down.

"Mikoto!" he yelled. Already, confused Choushou were starting to poke their heads out of the rooms. Realizing what was going on, they began to scramble for their weapons. Souji ran down the hallway, shoving open doors in his search, cutting down anyone that dared to get in his way. He could hear swords clash as Saito and Heisuke met the men blow for blow. Sanosuke and Shinpachi had already thundered up the steps. Souji took one of the men by the collar. "Where the hell is she?" he demanded. The terrified man opened his mouth, but was too slow to answer. Souji ran him through with his blade and tossed his limp body to the ground. As his search continued, his clothing and skin became stained with the crimson of his enemies' blood, yet it still felt like a losing battle. Until he found Mikoto, it wouldn't be a victory. Finishing his sweep of the first floor, Souji turned and ran towards the stairs. His eyes met Saito's as he passed. He and Heisuke were taking on a handful of men.

"We'll be fine," Saito assured. "Just keep going." Souji nodded. He ran past Shinpachi, who seemed to be enjoying the excitement. He cut down two more men as they charged at him. Sanosuke was a little ways down the hall, keeping a few men at a distance with his skilled spear handling. He noticed Souji, and motioned down the hall with his head.

"There's one door down that way. It's the only one that men haven't come out of," he explained, as he lunged at a man with his spear. He twirled it, and quickly took down a man behind him. This cleared a path for Souji. Souji nodded his thanks, and ran towards the room that Sanosuke mentioned. He threw the door open upon reaching it. His eyes widened. In the corner sat Mikoto. She was bound, with needles protruding from various areas on her body. Her breathing was heavy and uneven. He couldn't tell if she was conscious. He gritted his teeth, his lip curling.

"Mikoto chan!" he called out, starting towards her. Suddenly, pain shot through his shoulder. "Damnit!" he hissed, whipping around. He had failed to keep his guard up. All of his focus had fallen on to Mikoto. He glared at the the man who had attacked him from behind. He wore a wicked smile, and held a small knife in his hand.

"Is this your woman?" he questioned, dropping the knife and drawing a sword. "She's quite fun to play with, I don't think I can allow you to take her." Souji's rage boiled over.

"Bastard!" he screamed, charging at the man. They exchanged several blows. Souji was testing the man's strength. The moment he backed away, he grinned. "I'm going to enjoy ripping you apart," he stated, lunging at the man. He was able to block Souji's attack. Souji smirked. Before the man could react, Souji took a swing for his neck. His pained howl was cut short as Souji delivered a full clean cut. The lifeless, beheaded body fell to the ground with, Souji felt, a pleasing thud. He sheathed his sword and quickly turned his attention to Mikoto. Getting closer, he could see the damage that had been done. The cuts, the bruises, the carefully placed needles. Blood dripped from her raw wrists. "Mikoto…" He made quick work of the ropes that bound her. He then carefully pulled the needles from her body. He could feel her tense muscles instantly relax. He noticed that her cheeks were flushed, then caught sight of the empty sake bottle that laid on the floor. Her eyes slowly opened. The shine that her golden eyes usually held was dulled.

"S-Souji?" she asked. He tightened his grip on her and cradled her close to his body.

"I'm so sorry...Mikoto I let you down again…" he murmured, frustrated tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He was surprised to feel one of her cold, delicate hands rest on the side of his face.

"Souji…" she repeated. He could tell that she dazed, and a little confused. He took her hand in his.

"I'm here Mikoto chan," She smiled softly. He leaned down and claimed her lips. He could taste the sake on her breath, and the faint tang of iron. After a moment, he pulled away. "Let's get you home," he said, brushing hair out of her face. With that, he stood, hoisting her up on to his back. Her arms hung limply over his shoulders, and she nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"Home…" she murmured softly, her thoughts still scattered. Souji looked over, giving her a soft kiss on the head.

"I love you, Mikoto chan…"


	18. Chapter 18

Mikoto had been fading in and out of consciousness. She had felt Souji lift her up, and she could hear his voice. Though she hadn't caught everything he had said, three words stuck in her memory. Perhaps she had dreamt it, or misheard in her delusional, drunken state. She had heard the rushed orders from vice commander Hijikata to get her to bed, and to summon doctor Matsumoto. Once she had been laid down on the futon, she had slipped straight into a deep sleep. Now a soft breeze was moving over her face, carrying with it a comforting scent. She realized that, though she was sore, she was no longer in agonizing pain. Her arms were not stuck by her side, and no rope was making breathing a hassle. Her head hurt a little, but it rested on something soft and comfortable. She noticed that there was some sort of weight on her. Slowly, she opened her eyes. It was dark, save for the sliver of moonlight that snuck through her door, which was cracked open. Once her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, she became aware of what that weight was. Souji had one hand tangled in her hair, keeping her head under his chin, while his other arm was wrapped around her, pulling her close. He had ended up laying partially on top of her. She wriggled away a little to look at him. He was fast asleep, and snoring ever so softly. Mikoto couldn't help but smile. She placed one of her hands on the side of his face. Upon her soft touch, his grip on her tightened, and he pulled her towards him once more. She threw her arms around him, burying her face into his chest. Before she realized it, tears were streaming freely from her eyes. He shifted a little, letting out a groan.

"M-Mikoto?" he asked drowsily. "Mikoto!" he realized, waking up fully. He wrapped both arms completely around her, and sat up with her. She kept her face against him. "You're awake…" he murmured with relief. Souji gently pushed her chin up to look at him. He wore a sad smile. "Why are you crying? I thought you'd be happy to see me," he teased softly. She nodded.

"Of course I am…" He grabbed her face with both hands, and used his thumbs to wipe her tears away.

"Then smile for me." She gave a small smile, and he kissed her forehead. "I'm here now, you're safe."

"I love you Souji," she said quickly, without any thought. Her words took him by surprise, but he smiled, and pulled her as close to him as possible. He stroked her hair to comfort her.

"I love you." He nestled into her hair. "I love you Mikoto…I was so worried." He let out a small laugh. "Then you worried me more by sleeping all day. I couldn't just go to bed and leave you here. As soon as doctor Matsumoto left, I snuck in here with you," he explained. "I want to remain by your side forever. Almost losing you made that clearer to me than ever."

"But, what about Hijikata?" He laughed.

"I don't care about that. We can go back to our little act when the sun rises, but for now, I just want to hold you like this," he explained, his tone sweet. He laid her back down and leaned over her. They looked at one another for a moment, before he caught her lips with his. At first they moved together, slowly and gently. Souji then took control, losing himself in her sweet taste. Mikoto quickly gave in to his sudden, impassioned greed and tangled her fingers in his hair. He seemed to be able to banish all of her pain, fear and weakness. Realizing he needed to calm himself down, Souji gave her bottom lip a small nip before pulling away and resting his forehead on hers, and she accidentally let slip a disappointed whimper. They took a moment to steady their breathing. "Let's get back to sleep," he finally decided, knowing that they both needed the rest, especially her. "These past few days have been hard. You need to recover." She nodded. He laid down beside her and pulled her to him so that her back was against him. His face rested in the crook of her neck. Soon, his breathing became slow and rhythmical, telling Mikoto that he had fallen asleep. She smiled to herself. She allowed the soft breathing of her beloved lull her to sleep.

* * *

Days passed slowly for Mikoto. At first, they were the happiest she had ever had. They had all held somewhat of a celebration the day after she had returned, eating and drinking to their hearts' content. She had been showered with affectionate words, and hugs, and her hair had been tousled more times than she could count. However, once the excitement of her safe return had passed, focus quickly turned to the savagery of the actual incident. Though she had recovered from her injuries fairly quickly, the men of the Shinsengumi were treating her as something fragile, and doting on her. She had been ordered by Hijikata to remain at the compound until he said otherwise. Even though she had been appreciative of their kindness at first, it was getting to be overwhelming, annoying even. None of them would let her lift a finger. Though he wouldn't let any of the others see it, Souji was the biggest culprit when they were alone. Now she was laying on the ground in the courtyard, a heavy sigh leaving her. She had been laying with Souji, but silly her had made a comment about being hungry. He had immediately jumped up, and told her to wait where she was, threatening to kill her if she didn't. Now she was waiting for him to return.

"Why do you sound so down Mikoto? Missing me already?" Souji asked as he walked up to her, his lips curved into a coy smile. She sat up to greet him with a smile, and noticed the tray of watermelon slices in his hand. He chuckled as she perked up at the sight of the succulent flesh of the red fruit.

"Nothing better on a hot day, huh?" he asked as he sat beside her. She shook her head with a smile. "Now, why that forlorn sigh?" Ignoring him, she reached for a slice of melon, but he held the tray out of her reach then took hold of her grasping hand. He laced his fingers with hers. "Tell me," he insisted.

"I'm just bored," she grumbled. "You guys won't let me do anything. I'm tired of just sitting around." His brow creased with sympathy.

"You still need time to heal," he said, putting the watermelon down, and cupping her face with his free hand.

"I'm fine," she said with a bit of a whine. "Can't I please go on your patrol with you tonight Souji?" Her golden eyes became wide and pleading. He had to look away. Saying no to those eyes was something he could hardly pull off.

"It's just for a couple more days Mikoto. Until then, just relax." She let out another sigh, but said nothing more on the matter. "Here, watermelon will cheer you up." He picked up one of the triangular slices, and held it out. She reached for it but he pulled it away. "Ah, ah, ah. Open up," he said with a grin. His green eyes shone with playfulness.

"Souji…" He opened his mouth to demonstrate what he wanted. She stared at him for a moment, an eyebrow raised. His mouth still open, one corner of his lips quirked upwards, and at last Mikoto gave in. With an exasperated eye roll, she opened her mouth and he finally allowed her to take a bite. She happily bit into the sweet fruit, smiling as the flavor washed over her tongue. A little bit of the juice dripped down her chin from her lips. Souji put the piece down, and with his thumb, wiped the juice off of her. He put his thumb to his lip and licked it, his lips forming a feline like smile. She swallowed her bite, blushing a little. She couldn't help but become flustered when he looked at her with such a burning desire. He had demanded her attention much more adamantly since she had been brought back. Perhaps the fear of losing her had brought out his need for her so much more. He leaned in and softly kissed her lips.

"That wasn't so bad, right?" he asked, amused.

"I'm not a kid…" she grumbled, still a little embarrassed. He snickered, and pushed the rest of the watermelon towards her.

"I need to be getting ready for my patrol, so you can enjoy the rest of this without me." Frustrated, Mikoto stuck her tongue out. Souji smirked. "And you can keep telling yourself that you aren't a kid," he laughed. "I'll see you when we get back tonight. I know you're a little stir crazy, but just bare with it a little longer." With those words he stood, ruffled her hair, and walked away.

* * *

Mikoto waited near the entrance of the compound. The moon had risen only an hour prior, meaning that the 1st division would soon be back from its patrol. The calico that liked to pay Mikoto an occasional visit sat on her lap, purring contentedly. Mikoto stroked the cat for a while, a smile on her face, until she noticed the gate opening. Souji led a handful of his men through the gate. Mikoto quickly jumped up, startling the cat, and made her way towards Souji. As she got closer, she stopped, her eyes wide. Souji's clothing, hands and face were all painted red.

"Souji!" she called. He looked over at her, his expression serious. "What happened? Are you hurt?" she asked frantically.

"I'm fine, this blood isn't mine," he stated.

"Then whose-"

"Before I tell you anything, we need to have a talk with Kondou san."


	19. Chapter 19

The air in the room dripped with tension, as Kondou considered Souji's patrol details, a perplexed look clouding his features. Mikoto sat beside Souji, confused as to why she had been brought there. Souji had been very vague in describing the enemy he had encountered, which made her feel very uneasy. From what she could tell, a man had defected from the unit. Though she could see the severity of such a situation, Souji had killed the man. She couldn't understand why Kondou still saw it as such a problem, unless he was worried about an uprising. She couldn't see that happening though, as far as she could tell, all of the men loved Kondou. Not sure what to think, she let out a frustrated sigh. Sensing her unrest, Souji flashed her a quick reassuring smile. She nodded, though it did little to lift her door slid open, and in walked Hijikata and Sanan. Both of them wore grim expressions, which was rather uncharacteristic for Sanan.

"Yamazaki kun explained the situation to us," Sanan stated as the two of them took a seat beside Kondou, across from Souji and Mikoto.

"You removed his haori and head protector?" Hijikata questioned, his violet eyes boring into Souji's. He gave a wry smile.

"Of course, who do you think I am Toshi san?" Sanan let out a discouraged sigh.

"I suppose there are still adjustments to be made to the medicine," he murmured. Mikoto's brow furrowed. She wasn't sure what a traitor amongst the ranks had to do with medicine. Hijikata's stern gaze focused on Mikoto, and his eyes widened slightly, as if he had just realized she was there.

"Souji, what was the meaning of bringing her here?" Hijikata demanded. "She wasn't on patrol with you, was she?" Souji shook his head.

"She wasn't on patrol with me, but considering what happened, I figured it's high time we tell her." Souji's words confused Mikoto even further. Hijikata raised a skeptical eyebrow. "She patrols with me quite often. I don't want to be the one responsible for the clean up when I have to kill the brat if she sees something." Hijikata let out an exasperated sigh. He then glanced at Kondou then at Sanan. Kondou smiled one of his warm smiles.

"I don't see why not. She's an honored member of the Shinsengumi after all," he pointed out.

"And she's done more than enough to prove her loyalty," Sanan added. Hijikata nodded.

"Very well." He looked back at Mikoto, his gaze intense. "You are not to repeat a word of what you hear to anybody. Should you do that, we won't hesitate to kill you." Mikoto swallowed and nodded, not entirely sure what she was getting into.

"It's a project that we were ordered by the Shogunate to look into. We wanted to make men stronger, faster, and give them rapid healing abilities," Sanan began. Mikoto blinked.

"That doesn't sound so bad…" He let out a bitter scoff.

"If only everything worked as it should. We worked with a doctor, Yukimura Kodo, who was practiced in western medicine. He introduced us to a medicine called the water of life. At first it seemed to do exactly what we wanted it to do, but...there were side effects." Sanan cast his eyes to the side for a moment. "Then men who tried the medicine were driven mad and consumed by a thirst for blood." Mikoto's eyes widened. She had had no idea that the Shinsengumi could be involved in something so dreadful.

"We tried to tweak and dilute the medicine," Kondou continued. "But Kodo disappeared soon afterwards. Sanan has continued the research based on the notes Kodo left behind, but it's all ended the same. Even if it takes time, the men are eventually overtaken by bloodlust."

"These men, which we have named furies, function better at night. We're still trying to the incorporate them as members of the Shinsengumi, but it has been difficult," Hijikata added. Mikoto stayed silent, trying to wrap her brain around the information she had just been given. She looked over at Souji, but he wouldn't meet her eyes, instead he focused on the ground in front of him.

"I...I understand," was all she could manage. She wasn't sure what else to say to such overwhelming information. She half expected the men to start laughing, and explain that it was a joke, but no such thing happened. They all continued to sit in silence, the same steely expressions on all of them. "I won't tell a soul," she finally promised with a bow. Kondou's smile finally returned.

"I know you won't. Now, it's late. I think it's best if you get to bed, you need your rest," he stated. "Both of you." His eyes focused on Souji, who simply nodded. The two of them left, Mikoto, still dazed, following after Souji.

"Mikoto chan?" he asked gently as soon as they were out of earshot of the commanders. She looked up at him, distracted. He could tell by her clouded eyes that her mind was still buzzing. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine," she said dismissively. Souji looked at her skeptically, but pushed no further. She followed him to the water well, where he began to wash away the blood on his hands with the water ladle. He removed his haori off and took his arms out of his sleeves, letting the top of his kimono slip off. He sat still, his green eyes focused on Mikoto as she began to wash the dried blood from his face a chest with a cloth. She absently rubbed at a part of his cheek, though it had been long clean, but he stayed silent. "Why didn't you tell me?" she finally asked. There was no anger in her voice, which surprised him a little.

"For your own good," he stated simply.

"But-"

"You heard Toshi. If you were to breathe a word of this, he'd kill you. What do you think would happen to someone who isn't supposed to know?" Mikoto thought for a moment, realizing that he had a point. "Besides, they're rather frightening creatures," he added. Mikoto quickly drew her hand back from his face.

"Creatures? They're men that you-" Souji put a finger to her lips, quieting her before she got too worked up. His eyes became stern.

"It's not a point of pride for the Shinsengumi, but we can't deny the facts. They were men, yes, but now they are much different. They're demons." Mikoto's fists clenched. Souji moved his hand from in front of her mouth to brush the side of her face. "I'm sorry if I've disappointed you." She let out a sigh, then after a moment, returned to washing his face.

"I just...don't understand…" she mumbled, now picking at his bangs where flecks of dry blood had slightly tangled small spots in his hair.

"I think you should see the results for yourself," he decided. He took the cloth from her and set it down beside him. She blinked, confused. "Come on. We have to get going before anybody notices."

* * *

After sneaking out of the compound, Souji led Mikoto through the dark streets of Kyoto.

"Where are we going?" she questioned.

"I told you, I want you to see the results of the water of life. This way you'll understand what I mean when I say they're no longer men," he explained. "We need to go now, before people start to wake up." She followed behind him, somewhat nervous about what she might see. He came to a stop right before turning down a side street. "Here's where he attacked. The body should still be over there. You gonna be alright?" Mikoto nodded.

"Of course," she said trying to put on a brave face. Souji nodded, and began to lead her towards the fury he had slain.

"If we ever run into one on patrol, I want you to stand back and let me handle it." She gave an indignant huff.

"I can defend myself you know." Souji chuckled.

"I don't doubt that. But these things are monsters. Unless you pierce the heart, it'll keep coming at you. That's not a danger I want you to face." He stopped again, looking at the ground. "Luckily, they're easy to recognize." Mikoto followed his gaze, and let out a small gasp. The corpse had snow white hair that shone like silver in the moonlight, and striking red eyes, the color of freshly spilled blood. His face was frozen in a twisted mask of cruel, blissful insanity. Though he still appeared to be human in form, it was very clear that what laid on the ground in front of them was no longer a man. "Do you understand?" Souji finally asked, content that she had taken the sight in fully. Slowly she nodded.

"That's awful…" Souji pulled her to him, pushing her face into his chest so she no longer had to look at what the Shinsengumi had created.

"Let's get back to the base. Like Kondou san said, you need your rest." She nodded, and he began to lead her back home.


	20. Chapter 20

Mikoto ran through the streets, her breath becoming short with exertion. She had somehow become separated from Souji. Perhaps he had taken a turn that she failed to realize, or she had turned without thinking. All she knew is that one moment he was beside her and when she turned to look at him again, he was gone. When she had turned a corner to look for him, she had been met with red eyes that seemed to glow. In a panic, she had turned and fled, but she could still hear her pursuer close behind her. She ran as quickly as she could in the direction she could have sworn would lead her to the Shinsengumi compound, but nothing seemed familiar. Feeling she had no other choice, she reached for the sword on her hip, but her hand grasped nothing but air.

"What the hell?" she muttered. She thought she had remembered grabbing it before they left, but her heart filled with dread as she realized that she must have thought wrong. "Dammit…" she hissed. "Souji!" she called desperately, hoping that he could hear her. She could hear wicked laughter close behind, fueling her to run faster. She skidded around a corner, though the scenery didn't seem to change in any way. As she ran, she suddenly slammed into something solid at full force. She rubbed her head, a little dazed, then realized she had run into a wall. She was at a dead end. Her brow furrowed, as she tried to figure out how she hadn't seen the wall. She heard footsteps approaching her, and knew she had made a mistake. She knew she was fast. Perhaps she could get around her attacker if she timed it right. She turned to face him and froze. Her heart pounded as her gaze fell upon one of the Shinsengumi's furies. His crimson eyes burst with bloodlust as he stared at her. He showed no signs that he recognized her. Pure white bangs hung in his pale face, which was contorted into the same look of demented glee as the corpse she had witnessed. "Souji…" Her voice was no more than a hoarse whisper. He made no response to signal that he had heard his name. "Souji, please...it's me!" she begged frightened tears forming in her eyes. Her words didn't reach him. He raised his sword as he drew nearer to her, a twisted, eager laugh arising from him. Mikoto shut her eyes tightly, and let out scream.

"Mikoto!" A gentle, yet urgent voice rang through her head. She bolted up, her eyes snapping open as she threw her blanket aside. She was drenched in a cold sweat and her chest was heaving as she tried to calm her heavy breathing. Suddenly, two strong arms began to wrap around her. Confused and frightened, she frantically shoved them away, letting out a yelp. "Mikoto," the voice repeated, a little harsher this time. Two hands took a tight hold of her arms, forcing her to sit still and calm down. As her mind cleared and her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she ceased to struggle. Souji stared at her, his emerald eyes clouded with concern. She realized with a wave of relief that his eyes weren't red. The hair that hung in his face, mussed by sleep, was its usual mahogany color, not white. Once he was convinced that she had settled down, Souji loosened his grip on her arms. He moved one of his hands to rest on her face, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. "What the hell Mikoto, you scared me."

"Sorry…" she murmured.

"Just be more quiet next time you feel the need to scream, we don't need any of the commanders finding me in here," he said playfully. She nodded. Ever since they had saved her, Souji had made it a habit to sneak into her room to sleep. "Now, what's wrong?" She shook her head.

"It was just a nightmare…" She thought for a moment. "Souji, can anybody in the Shinsengumi drink the water of life, or is it only given to certain people?" He looked confused for a moment, then sighed.

"Well, as of right now, it's only been given to those facing seppuku or to those that have been fatally wounded. So, really only a small number of men have tried it," he explained.

"Not the captains?" He let out a small chuckle.

"That's what you're worried about?" She looked at him seriously, not finding the humor in the situation. He sighed. "Of course not you silly girl." She quickly threw her arms around him, burying her face into his chest.

"Please don't," she mumbled. He laughed bitterly, then kissed the top of her head.

"I don't need that western crap to turn me into a monster. I've done that just fine on my own." She shook her head.

"You aren't a monster." He planted another small kiss on the top of her head.

"You should get back to sleep. Get all of this fury stuff out of your head. It's not something I want you dwelling on." She nodded slowly, and laid her back down. He laid beside her, silent for a moment, then he pulled her close. "There's nothing for you to worry about anyways. Even if I were to become a fury, I'd still be yours," he said quietly. "Your monster and protector."

* * *

Weeks passed without incident or excitement, and though the fear of the furies still hung at the back of her mind, Mikoto had managed to push it out of her thoughts. Now the rays of the hot, late summer sun beat down upon the Shinsengumi compound. For most of the members, it was lazy day, spent finding ways to cool off. Souji laid sprawled in the grass, exhausted by the sweltering heat of the late afternoon. Two children laid in the same manner beside him, while a third laid draped over his stomach. Mikoto sat nearby, under the shade of a tree, playing with the hair of the young girl that sat in front of her. In the girl's lap sat the calico cat that had decided to pay them a visit that day. She purred contentedly as the little girl gently stroked her soft fur.

"Mikoto chan…" Souji whined. "It's hot."

"Hot!"

"So hot!"

"Hot," the three boys echoed. Mikoto looked up from the girl's hair, an eyebrow quirked.

"I know it's hot, what do you want me to do about it?" she questioned, a smile playing on her lips.

"Cool me off, " he replied, looking at her with a pout.

"Cool us off, cool us off!" the kids chanted. Mikoto rolled her eyes.

"Maybe you guys shouldn't have been running around so much." Souji let out a groan, and the children copied him. Mikoto and the girl giggled. "And this is why girls are smarter than boys," she said quietly in the girl's ear. She laughed, and nodded.

"We're smarter than you!" the girl teased. The boy that was laying across Souji's stomach lifted his head slightly.

"Shut up Tsuki!" he demanded lazily. Souji chuckled.

"Now, now Taro, don't underestimate little Tsuki chan." His gaze focused on Mikoto, his green eyes sparkling mischieviously as his lips curved up in a smirk. "Mikoto on the other hand…" She shot him a glare, but couldn't quite contain her amusement. Souji let out a laugh and sat up, dumping Taro off of him.

"Okita san," he protested. Souji gave the boy a pat on the head.

"I think it's about time we get you kids home," Souji declared, stretching his arms over his head. "Mikoto and I can find something in town that will cool us off a bit." She looked at him, a little confused.

"What are we going to do in town?" He gave a small wink.

"It's a bit of a surprise."


End file.
